Flames of the Heart
by Wings of the Valkyria
Summary: Lloyd thought it couldn't get any worse when Dirk passed away, but what the dwarf left behind in the contents of a single letter turned his world upside down. Kratos/Lloyd
1. Chapter 1

**Alexander **: Hello Everyone. I'm new to the Tales of Symphonia fandom I hope I did a good job on my first fic!

**Griever **: There are few things we would like to go over before the read. We hope you don't skip.

**Alexander **: We learned about Tales of Symphonia mostly from watching the OVA. Wikipedia and Youtube videos. So here are few things that will be implemented in the story.

**1. ****We know that Kratos and Lloyd are father and son. But this is slightly AU. So they won't be. **

**2. We might not have gotten the directions or descriptions of the towns right. So it would be great if you corrected us in your reviews. **

**3. Tethe'alla and Sylvarant are already one.**

**4. We haven't studied the characters personalities very well. So forgive us if we get them slightly wrong. **

**Griever : Wish us luck! We have no ownership of the Character nor places of Tales of Symphonia **

**Alexander : Enjoy our story : Flames of the Heart**

**Chapter One : Don't Be Afraid. **

"_When my father passed away I had excepted to live with Genis and Raine until I was able to take care of myself but I never knew that Dad had already taken care of everything. He was always thinking ahead but I never expected him to think THIS far ahead" _

' _Lloyd Irving-Aurion _

"No matter how many times you read that letter it isn't going to change Lloyd" Raine spoke gently from behind him.

Lloyd Irving looked up with bloodshot eyes before directing them back to the now wrinkled letter in his hand.

It was from his foster father Dirk, he had found it three days after the dwarf had passed away and thoroughly convinced himself that the contents of the letter were nothing but a sick joke.

He wanted to so badly burn the paper and scatter the ashes to the wind but found himself hesitating every time he faced the fireplace at night. It was one of the last few pieces of Dirk he had besides his memories of the dwarf and couldn't find it in his heart to do such a thing.

Raine laid her hands on the brunette's shoulder and almost retracted them when she felt how tense the boy was.

He had every right to be, when Dirk passed away Lloyd went into a state of shock that took days to snap out of and it hurt the teacher that she could nothing about it.

That's when she found the letter, she had hoped it would cheered the boy up but ended doing the exact opposite.

"_Married. I'm getting married to a complete stranger…" _

_Raine watched the boy start shaking his head as if trying to erase what he just read. The teacher didn't something unexpected. _

_She pulled him into her arms. Raine felt Lloyd tense but ignored it and hugged him tighter, she looked down to see tears trailing down the boy's face. _

"_It's okay" she soothed. "Everything will be okay…" _

"_How?! Dad's gone?!" _

_Raine reached up and ran her fingers through the boys soft hair and gave him a reassuring smile. _

"_I just know. Everything may seem bad now but they'll turn out for the better Lloyd, you'll see.." _

Raine's thoughts were broken when she heard the sound of Lloyd's chair scrapping against the floor when the boy stood up and pocketed the letter.

"What are you going to do?"

"Nothing. Just sit and wait for this Kratos Aurion to come to Iselia, he is my fiancée' after all"

"You don't have to do this. I'm not going to sit back and watch you force yourself to go through with this"

"It's okay" he told her with a strained smile. "If it makes you feel better I'll give him hell for agreeing to this"

Raine merely gave the other a smile that failed to reach her eyes.

* * *

* * *

Over the next three weeks things had return to a relatively normal state. Lloyd had almost returned to his usual lazy self much to Raine's despair.

He had started living with Raine and Genis. It had made things more lively and for that the half-elf woman was happy if not a little stressed out at all of the arguing and teasing.

Lloyd looked up from his assignment at the sound of horses. He stood up, ignoring Genis' questioning gaze and walked towards the window.

He parted the curtains to see a auburn haired man dressed in a black cloak step out of the expensive carriage, almost immediately Lloyd felt a knot form in his stomach, he wanted to hide but his feet wouldn't cooperate with his brain.

Three firm knocks echoed throughout the house and Lloyd felt himself freeze at the sound. Raine gave the boy a concern look before opening the door and immediately felt herself drawn into ruby red eyes.

"Good Evening, can I help you?" she asked. Raine sized the man up, the way he held himself spoke volumes he seemed like a man who knew what he wanted and stopped at nothing to get it.

"Yes, I'm looking for Lloyd Irving, I apologize for coming at such a late hour"

"I-It's fine. Please come in out of the cold" Raine moved aside and shivered when the man walked passed her. She hated to admit it, but if this man was Kratos Aurion then she felt pity and envy towards Lloyd at the same time.

Colette felt heat rush to her face when she stared the man, he was gorgeous. Was this Lloyd's future husband?

Lloyd fidgeted under Kratos analyzing gaze and the sudden silence of the room. So this was the man he was supposed to marry? He did reluctantly admit that man was not that bad looking but he felt a coldness and arrogance about him that made Lloyd instantly dislike him.

"You're Lloyd Irving?"

"Yes, you must be Kratos Aurion? My Dad told me about you in his letter. How did this agreement even come up?"

At the question, Kratos crossed his arms and shifted his weight. "He save my life, and return offered your hand to me"

"You just accepted it? Just like that?"

Lloyd knew in his heart that Dirk wouldn't just offer his hand to a complete stranger unless he knew of Kratos status before he even saved the man's life. Was Dirk sick even back then?

"I owed him my life. It was the least I could do, I heard of his passing, I'm sorry for your loss"

"Thank you, but what are we supposed to do know? My father has passed away are you still tying yourself to this agreement?"

Lloyd felt the slightest sliver of hope, if he could convince Kratos not to take his hand then he wouldn't have to leave Iselia or his friends, he looked up and met the mans blank gaze.

_I've never seen red eyes before, they're beautiful…_

What was he thinking?! He couldn't be attracted to Kratos this quickly could he?

No, No of course not.

"In the event of Dirk's passing I still hold myself to this agreement, but I will not force you to do the same Lloyd"

Now he felt guilty, Dirk could've asked for anything and he was the first thing on the dwarf's mind and here he was trying to get out of it. What kind of son was he?

"I…I didn't say I wasn't going to do this"

Kratos gave the boy a sympathetic look, he somewhat understood the position that Lloyd was in he wouldn't force him to decide right this instant.

"Tomorrow. I will stay in Iselia for the night and come back here in the morning I'll trust you'll have made your decision by then?"

Lloyd gave the older man a stunned look, he merely nodded and watched the man open the door, he was halfway out when he suddenly turned back and gave the brunette a stern look.

"I'll also trust you not to runaway in the middle of the night and find you gone come morning?"

"I'll be here. I won't run away" Kratos stared at him for what seemed an eternity before leaving and shutting the door firmly behind him.

Lloyd released a sigh of relief he himself hadn't realized he was holding. Genis bit his lip before giving his sister an uncertain look. Was this really okay? Was it okay for them let Lloyd leave so easily like this? Shaking his head to rid himself of the sudden negative thoughts, Genis reluctantly returned to his studies.

Lloyd warily watched Kratos climb back into the carriage and take off to an nearby inn, he had less than twelve hours to make his mind.

Sleep would not come easy to him tonight.

Alexander *comes out of hiding* Well? Hope you diehard Tales of Symphonia fans like it. 

Griever : Please Review. Criticism is welcome. But not flames! 


	2. Chapter 2

Alexander : Hello welcome to Chapter Two of "Flames of the Heart."

Griever : We want to thank the few that reviewed for us. That tells us that some of you actually enjoyed the story.

Alexander : But anyways, let's get on with Chapter Two.

Griever : We have no ownership of Tales of Symphonia or its characters.

Alexander : We would like to thank Jan Lee for beta'd version of this chapter. Thanks Jan Lee~!

Chapter Two: Tomorrow Will Surely Be Sunny

_"I would only admit this to myself, but the ride to Meltokio was an awkward and tense one. When I think of how Kratos acted in the beginning[,] only amusement fills me at how mature he was[.] [Don't] get me wrong[,] he still is, just a little more relaxed. I thought I was doomed to marry a fifty year-old stuck in a twenty-eight year-old body…"_

_Lloyd Irving-Aurion._

"Lloyd! Lloyd Irving, wake up!"

Sleep-dazed brown eyes peered open at the sound of his named being called and the banging at the door, and the same eyes were now wide awake as the events of last night assaulted his mind. Lloyd quickly threw the covers off his body and raced towards the door.

He opened it to see an irritated Raine behind it, along with a grinning Genis.

"Ah,sorry, Professor. I'll get ready-and stopping grinning Genis-"

"Very well, but hurry," snapped Raine. "It's rude to have Kratos waiting any longer."

He watched the two half-elf siblings walk away before shutting the door and pulling on a long-sleeved black shirt and tan trousers with several pockets on the side-not his usual red outfit, but it'd have to do for now. Quickly brushing his teeth and hair, Lloyd rushed out of the room with his suitcase and into the kitchen where Kratos sat at the table calmly sipping on a cup of tea.

"Good morning." Kratos's voice was as calm as his demeanor.

"Morning!" Lloyd flushed at the intense look Kratos gave him and frowned when he made no move to get up. "Well?"

"Well, _what_?"

Lloyd calmly took a deep breath before taking a seat across from Kratos and staring at him directly in the eyes. "Aren't we going to go?"

Kratos set the cup of tea down on the saucer. "Don't you want to say good-bye to everyone in the village? I'm in no rush to leave just yet."

"Avoiding your aristocratic duties?"

"Whatever I have to do can wait. I'm attending to more important matters at the moment."

"Oh? Picking up your country fiancé is important? I thought this was merely an obligation for you?"

"Lloyd!" Raine scolded, throwing a spoon at Lloyd. Lloyd winced when the metal collided with his head.

Kratos's lips twitched, but he neutralized his face when Lloyd turned back to him. Lloyd narrowed his eyes at his soon-to-be husband; he could've sworn he saw the other smiling…

_He'd better not have been laughing at me._Lloyd thought

Brushing stray thoughts away, Lloyd stood, grabbing his empty cup along with Kratos's, who politely thanked him. Giving the other a suspicious glance he put the dishes in the sink before turning to the door.

"What are you going to do?"

"I'll have a look around town and stock up before we leave," Kratos answered. "It's a long way back to Meltokio so we won't arrive until nightfall or most likely tomorrow."

Lloyd winced when he thought of the rocky trip in the carriage. It wasn't a luxurious one as he would've thought, but Kratos was smart enough not to bring such a one in case there were bandits on the roads. He looked over his shoulder at the man who spoke quietly to Raine.

_"He certainly looks like he can hold his own. I wonder if he can use a sword…eh, I'll ask when we get on the road."_ Lloyd thought

Closing the door behind him, Lloyd slowly made his way towards Colette's home. He hated saying good-bye. It made leaving all the worse. His mind turned towards Meltokio with questions. What was it like? Was it big or small? Were there a lot of people? Humans, elves, half-elves? He had a lot of questions about his new home and planned to ask them all on the way there. _Even_ if it meant annoying Kratos.

"Lloyd! Lloyd! Lloyd please wait!" a small voice called out.

He quickly turned to see a flushed Colette running towards him, before tripping on the unforgiving ground.

"Colette!"

Colette slowly stood up and brushed off with Lloyd's help. She gave him a grateful smile before noticing his state of dress.

"You look nice today, Lloyd!"

Lloyd flushed and scratched the back of his head sheepishly before wincing when he felt a bump forming there a reminder of Raine's actions earlier

"What's wrong?" She sounded concerned.

"Nothing, just faced Raine's earlier this morning.

Colette nodded in understanding, and even though Raine never hit her or threw things at her before, it looked like it hurt every time Raine had done it to Genis or Lloyd.

"I'm surprised you haven't left yet. Did something happen?"

"No. Kratos said I could say good-bye to everyone before I left and he has to restock, so we'll be leaving in a little while."

"Oh…."

"Hey…? What's wrong?"

"Nothing!"

Lloyd gave the blonde girl a disbelieving look, before swiftly pulling her into his arms. He smiled when she jumped slightly at the unexpected action.

"I'll be back soon," he promised. "Even if I have to come back on foot, I promise to come visit once everything settles down."

"We can come visit you and Kratos, can't we?" she pleaded.

Lloyd gently flicked her on the forehead, smiling when she reached up and rubbed the tender area.

"Of course. It'll be my home and I won't turn away family."

Colette hugged him tightly before slowly releasing him and stepping back. "May the Goddess Martel grant you happiness, Lloyd."

Lloyd's face burned, and he laughed nervously before ruffling Colette's hair slightly.

"Thanks, Colette."

His next stop was the near the river, since Genis always went there during his spare time, and even though Lloyd had no idea what Genis did there, he smiled when he spotted the glint of silver hair.

"Genis!"

The elf-half boy looked up when someone shouted his name only to frown when he noticed Lloyd approaching. Genis merely turned and continued gazing at the river. Lloyd gave Genis a confused look and touched his shoulder, only to have his hand harshly slapped away.

"Why do you have to go?"

Lloyd lowered his eyes to his sandaled feet. He honestly didn't know why he was pushing so hard to leave…going to a new home so foreign from his own.

"I have to keep this promise, Genis," he started slowly. "Dirk could've asked for anything when he saved Kratos's life that day, but I was the first thing on his mind. I can't simply throw this way."

Genis flushed with shame at how childishly he acted. Lloyd was right, and even though he didn't exactly agree with how the marriage turned out, Genis understood that it would be wrong for Lloyd to back out of it just because Dirk had passed.

"You'll come visit right? You won't just go to Meltokio and forget about us?"

Lloyd grinned and quickly grabbed Genis and pulled him into a headlock, laughing when Genis cried out indignantly. "Of course I'll come to visit! Iselia is home and always will be, and you come visit me anytime you want."

Genis grunted and pulled out of the tight grip, giving Lloyd a half-hearted glare while fixing his hair. "You sure? I mean you're not even married yet and you're telling us to come visit! What if Kratos doesn't want us there?"

"He'll have to frown and bear it," was Lloyd's instant, firm reply. "I'm not going to turn away my family no matter what he says, but then again I _am_ going into this marriage literally empty handed…"

Genis only smiled when he saw Lloyd drift off into his own thoughts-a rare occurrence mind you-and he truly hoped that Lloyd was going to be okay. He had heard that the people of Meltokio ate people from small villages and spat them back out.

That was a scary thought…

Kratos found the small village of Iselia to be a peaceful one. The people were polite and friendly. He wondered if it was because he was from Tethe'alla and of high status. As he made his way back towards the carriage, he warmly thanked the saleswoman.

It was mid-afternoon and the sky was slightly cloudy. It would be best if they got going now before the rain started, and placing the items in the carriage seat, he nodded to the driver.

"Get ready we leave soon"

The driver nodded. "Yes, Lord Aurion."

Kratos felt eyes on his back and turned to find Lloyd and Genis staring at him from a distance. He merely raised an eyebrow at the younger two. He noticed Lloyd wearing clothes that would be uncomfortable for the harsh weather in Meltokio.

"Put on something more suitable," he called to Lloyd. "It's getting cold and it's currently snowing in Meltokio."

Lloyd frowned at the order and silently walked back into his home, leaving Genis and Kratos alone outside.

Genis looked angry. "Do you feel _anything_ for Lloyd? Other than obligation?"

Kratos frowned at the blunt question and gave Genis a level stare. "I barely know of Lloyd's personality, or his feelings, but I'm hoping to do so on the way back to Meltokio and during our marriage. I understand your concern for him, but he will be _my_ concern from now on."

"You're talking about him like he's a pet! Lloyd's a human being! He feels more than any one of his kind, he puts his heart into everything he does, he cares about all of his friends, and his award for his caring nature is a loveless marriage?"

Lloyd chose this time to step out of the house dressed in a black coat and gray turtleneck, along with matching black trousers and a sturdy pair of boots and he froze when he noticed the tension in the air.

"Genis? Kratos? What's wrong?-"

Genis glared heatedly at Kratos before redirecting his gaze to a wary Lloyd. "Nothing," he replied heavily. Then, in an attempt to change the subject said, "That's a new look."

"Well,I wanted to wear something other than red. "Do I look okay?"

Genis smiled sadly at the excited look in Lloyd's eyes "Yeah" he replied at last."You look great. Ready to go?"

"Rushing me off, Genis?" Lloyd teased.

"I'd tie you down and never let you leave if that's what it took to stop you from leaving with _him_."

Genis winced once he realized how venomous that sounded, even for him. Lloyd shot him a concerned look before stepping closer The concern changed to hurt when Genis shuffled back two steps.

"Bye Lloyd," Genis said, and giving Kratos one more scathing look, he raced into his home and slammed the door as hard as he could behind him. Lloyd glared at Kratos, his brown eyes demanding answers.

"What. Did. You. Do?"

Kratos looked nonchalant and opened the carriage door, impatiently gesturing for Lloyd to get in. Lloyd looked back to see Raine and Genis, along with Colette, waving at him through the window, so he raised a gloved hand and waved back before stepping into the carriage.

"I did nothing," Kratos replied once they were out of sight of Iselia. "Genis was merely concerned for your well-being, and we had a slight disagreement."

Lloyd honestly felt like slapping Kratos across the face just to get a solid reaction. Didn't this man have any emotions?

"You call _that_ slight? I've never seen Genis so angry! Irritated? Yes! Frustrated? Yes! But never pissy angry!"

"Pissy angry…?"

Lloyd instantly flushed at the amused glance he received from his husband-to-be.

He had lost count the number of times he had blushed within the last two days. This was getting ridiculous. He was never this embarrassed before!

Lloyd huffed. "What's Meltokio like anyway?"

Kratos, noticing the obvious change of subject, went along with it. "It's a Kingdom City, so you'll eventually be introduced to the King of Tethe'alla as one step for putting you in the aristocracy. I'll show you around after a day or two."

"That's it?" Lloyd asked with a pout. "Is it lively, dull, corrupt? Give me more than that!"

Kratos's lips twitched at Lloyd's irritation. "It's lively when the festivals start going. We have a large Winter Solstice festival that I'm sure you'll enjoy."

"See? That wasn't so bad now, was it?"

"It was absolutely painful." was Kratos's sarcastic reply.

As Lloyd snorted behind his gloved hand, he peaked behind the curtain of the carriage to see snow falling. They had been traveling for a few hours, and he finally knew what Kratos meant when he said it would get extremely cold.

"How much longer?" Lloyd asked.

Kratos leaned back in the seat and closed his eyes. "Three hours, so why don't you get some sleep, and I'll wake you when we arrive."

Lloyd gave Kratos a grateful glance before lying down and using his coat as a blanket.

"Has anyone been in our situation?" he asked softly. He watched for Kratos's reaction.

Kratos opened his eyes and stared into sleep-dulled, brown ones.

"Yes. Emil Castagnier and Richter Abend, who are good friends of mine. I'll introduce you to them."

" Oh, where's Emil from?" Lloyd asked.

Kratos reached over and caressed Lloyd's cheek, letting the gesture slowly lull him to sleep.

"Palmacosta. Sleep, Lloyd," And when the other finally closed his eyes, Kratos released a deep breath.

Was it possible for him to be falling in love so quickly?

* * *

Alexander : That's Chapter Two! We really hope you enjoyed it.

Griever : Review. Send us lots of em!


	3. Chapter 3

Alexander : Sorry for the wait, me and my laziness. This Chapter has been revised TWICE. So enjoy everyone and maybe we can get some new reviewers

Griever : That's Right!, Also we would like to thank our Beta; Jan Lee for his wonderful advice in this story and our other one Of Heaven and Earth. Thanks for putting up with our bad grammar Jan Lee.

Alexander :Enjoy. We have no ownership of Tales of Symphonia

"_My first impression of Meltokio was that it was a beautiful city, filled with many different people, big to small, humans to half-elves, anything you could name. But what I didn't realize was that this beautiful city was also filled with corruption and lies." _

_-Lloyd Irving-Aurion _

Chapter Three: Rest of the Heart

The first things Lloyd felt when he woke up three hours later were the biting cold of the wind and the warmth of the coat draped over him. Kratos sat beside him with a gloved hand on his shoulder.

"You sleep like a log," Kratos said, the sarcasm in his voice dripping.

Lloyd smiled sheepishly and pulled on his coat and scarf, and then he leaned over to pull the curtain aside to see snow-covered buildings. The people walking along the sidewalks were bundled in brightly colored coats, mitts, scarves, and hats against the cold.

"If they're still working in this weather, they must be dedicated," Lloyd said, pulling away from the window since there was a cold draft coming in from behind the curtain.

"They have to work to feed their families, _especially_ in the winter time," Kratos remarked, pulling on his own coat.

Are the winters that harsh here?" Lloyd asked

He rubbed his hands together, despite the gloves, which didn't feel thick enough. He would miss the mild winters that Iselia offered compared to the frozen over lands of Meltokio, he would have to get used to it but that didn't mean he had to like it.

"Usually, no, but winds coming in from Flanoir are making it all the worse."

The answer was terser than it needed to be. Lloyd wanted to ask another question, but decided against it ; so he leaned back against the seat and let himself relax and fall back into a light doze.

-------------

Kratos mentally sighed at Lloyd. The younger man was the last thing he had expected: rash, hot-headed and unmannered. Lloyd would need culturing to be accepted into the aristocracy, and Kratos hoped Lloyd would be a quick study.

Nothing like his Anna…

How he missed her, and that pain, no matter how hard he tried to forget, remained in his heart. Even in death, she was with him, though he'd long since had grieved and tried to erase the memory of happiness they had shared. Oh, she'd been a clever one, so clever, that on her deathbed, she had made him vow to move on and find happiness.

But how was he supposed to be happy when the one he cherished was gone from this world? Kratos's gaze flickered over to Lloyd, and saw him soundly asleep once again from the gentle rocking of the carriage. Kratos felt so conflicted. He was in love with Lloyd, yes, but he still _loved _Anna.

Being from the peaceful village of Iselia, Lloyd was going to have a hard time adjusting to the large kingdom city of Meltokio, but Kratos knew that Lloyd was going to turn the aristocracy upside down, regardless of any class training Kratos might put him through.

A smile touched his lips. Richter Abend and Emil Castagnier-Abend were prime examples of overstepping boundaries of status, and Kratos looked forward to introducing Lloyd to them later.

When the carriage jerked to the stop, Lloyd bolted awake and like a frightened cat, glanced around wildly.

---- Normal POV ----

We've arrived," was the only thing Kratos said, before unlatching the carriage door and stepping down.

Lloyd looked around outside and found they'd come to the front of a large estate. Lloyd's mouth dropped at how large the estate was! It was four stories with balconies on the third floor, and ivy covered the walls. He turned to see that the carriage had stopped beside a large fountain with a statue of the Goddess Martel.

Welcome to the Aurion Manor," a droning voice announced.

A balding, gray-haired man with sharp brown eyes and a moustache, dressed immaculately in a butler's typical uniform of black slacks and a coat that stopped above the knees, and a red vest paired with a long-sleeved white shirt had apparently appeared from nowhere.

Where had this guy come from?!

"Um, hi," was the only thing Lloyd could think of to say.

The butler didn't return the reply, turning instead to Kratos with a bland look.

"I have several messages for you, Lord Kratos, half of them invitations for balls over the coming weeks and the other half are business."

Kratos had a relaxed smile on his face. "Set them on my desk for now, Tristan. Then gather the household staff in the foyer. I have an important announcement to make."

"Yes, sir." Tristan gave a curt bow and spun on his heel to do Kratos's bidding.

Lloyd waited until the butler was out of hearing range before turning to Kratos. He'd felt uncertain and somewhat anxious about this new world Kratos was dragging him into. Perhaps Kratos would change his mind?

"Last chance, Kratos," he whispered. Kratos gave him a bored glance that didn't deter Lloyd. "Still want to do this?"

"You agreed to this, did you not?" When Lloyd nodded, he continued airily. "Then there _is_ no problem. Everything will turn out fine. Come now. I'm going to introduce you to everyone."

By the time Lloyd and Kratos entered the foyer and shed their warm clothes, 'everyone' had gathered and were looking expectantly at the newly arrived couple. Some of the faces were concerned, others curious, and still others were surprised. Lloyd felt a firm push from behind and looked over his shoulder at Kratos. He hated to admit it but he was embarrassed to have all these eyes on him, judging him, testing him. Lloyd honestly wanted a hole to appear and swallow him.

"Everyone," Kratos called over the murmur of the crowd. He continued when a hush had settled. "I would like to introduce you to my fiancé, Lloyd Irving of Iselia."

Immediately talk erupted from the gathering of servants.

"Congratulations, Lord Kratos," said an older woman warmly. , Kratos laid his hands on Lloyd's

shoulders, and Lloyd could tell he was ignoring how tense he was.

Andrea was large, tanned woman with graying brown hair tied into a tight bun and warm green eyes. She wore a slightly different version of the maid's uniform. Instead of the black dress stopping above her knees, it went to her feet slightly covering her working boots. Her black and red blouse was pressed and clean and hidden behind a white, slightly stained apron.

"Nice to meet you, Andrea," Lloyd said

Andrea chuckled warmly and bowed. "It's nice to meet you as well, Lord Irving."

"But he looks so young," another muttered, the greetings and congratulations not enough to cover the words. Lloyd's ears perked and he searched the unknown faces for speaker.

"Hush," someone hissed, "it's Lord Aurion's decision, and you'll get in trouble if you complain!"

"Still…he's not even of the aristocracy…"

"Enough!" Kratos said over them, having apparently heard the mutterings. As expected, silence followed. "I expect you all to treat Lloyd with the same respect as you do me. _Am I understood_?"

Kratos's voice had dropped to a dangerous tone, and Lloyd tensed, watching as each of the twenty-odd servants bowed, gracefully. Every fiber of his being screamed at him to rush forward and ask them to stop, but by some miracle of self-control, Lloyd avoided doing so.

A rush of murmurs filled the foyer. "Yes, Lord Aurion."

"Very well," Kratos said, the flash in his red eyes dying down. "You may resume your usual duties."

Every servant bowed again before leaving the two alone. The silence in the foyer pressed in on Lloyd from all sides. Was this what it would be like living in a manor? Not everyone was friendly in Iselia, but they were polite enough to pass, and at least they were warmer than everyone in this mansion put together. His heart took a painful lurch when Colette, Genis and Raine entered his mind, and he wondered how they were.

Lloyd swallowed hard before speaking. "I don't know if I can get used to this. I mean, it'll be nice to be waited on hand and foot, but being called Lord Irving just sounds weird."

"Let me show you around," Kratos said, gesturing in general to the manor, "and, of course, if you still can't manage by yourself, then a servant will show you wherever you want to go."

Lloyd hated Kratos's condescending tone, like he was some sort of a hopeless country bumpkin with no brains. "Okay."

The tour around the manor was tense, mainly because Lloyd remained silent, still fuming over Kratos's domineering personality. Lloyd was shown the kitchens, the servants' quarters, the guest rooms, and the gardens behind the large home. Each room on the four large floors were richly decorated and given a different theme and color. It was there on the third floor that Kratos finally showed Lloyd his own room.

"This is where you will be staying for the time being," Kratos said, as he opened an ornate door and stepped aside, allowing Lloyd to enter first.

Lloyd was slightly surprised at how the room was bigger than the classroom back in Iselia. And beautiful. Shades of green and blue decorated the walls and furniture, and through doors that were currently closed, a balcony overlooked the manor's garden. Lloyd's nose perked up at the scent of jasmine, and there on the bedside table was a vase with a bouquet of the flowers

"Do you like it?" Kratos asked quietly.

Lloyd turned and gave him a small, appreciative smile.

"Yes. It's a beautiful room."

Kratos nodded in approval before turning and walking out of the door, but he stopped suddenly and turned back.

Dinner will be in a few hours." A smile tilted Kratos's lips. "Tomorrow, I'll introduce you to an old friend of mine. His husband will help you with the wedding plans."

"Already?" Lloyd asked, surprised.

"You'll learn in Meltokio that reputation is everything, and _everyone_ is expecting a big, splashy wedding. You know there will be over two hundred people in attendance."

Lloyd's throat tightened with nerves at the thought of so many people, watching him. Watching him _carefully_. "Relatives of yours?"

"And friends, along with acquaintances," the other replied. "Do you need anything else before I leave?"

"No," Lloyd said, taking a seat on the large canopy bed. He felt overwhelmed. "Will I see you at dinner?"

"Yes, but until then, take a look around. I don't want you getting lost in your new home."

Lloyd replied with a rue grin. "I'm sure you'll come to find me."

Kratos had already stepped out of the room---"Maybe," he replied over his shoulder. Lloyd jumped off the bed and ran to door to stick his head out.

"Was that supposed to be a joke, Kratos?!" he called to Kratos's back.

The only reply he received was a quiet laugh echoing along the empty hall.

After changing into a simplistic long-sleeved navy shirt and black trousers, Lloyd ventured out of his room to wander in the direction of the kitchens. His stomach had been growling, though he'd been ignoring it, since he woke up from the long carriage ride. As he closed in on the kitchens, he heard distinct voices from behind the kitchen door.

"I can't believe Lord Kratos is getting married!" a female servant cried out.

Lloyd stopped and listened, curious as to how the conversation would continue.

"Yeah," another voice said---a butler, perhaps?--- "But he looks so young…only _eighteen_."

"So what?" a lighter voice said with envy. "That's only ten years-"

"More like four-thousand twenty-eight," someone interrupted. Even from behind the door, Lloyd could feel the uncomfortable silence that descended on the group.

"Hold your tongue," the butler-voice commanded. "That's only a rumor and you know it!"

"I-I'm sorry," the other voice said.

A big sigh occurred, before a chair scrapping along the floor disturbed the silence of the others.

The butler-voice continued. "That rumor has been around for three years now. No one really dwells on it[. The one who came up with it was, and still _is_, a fool. I mean, come on…Kratos is a descendant of an angel, but he's not immortal!"

Lloyd slapped a hand to his mouth to hold back a gasp. Kratos? A descendant of an angel?! Maybe he could find out more. He opened the door and walked in, causing the group to break apart. He gave them what he hoped was a benign, friendly smile and looked around.

"Hello," he said. "I'm, uh, pleased to meet you."

The group immediately bowed, [but before they did, Lloyd noticed that some had flushed, while others looked grey with panic. What? Were they worried he overheard their conversation? How ironic for it to be so.

He did, but he wouldn't tell them that, and since they already looked stricken as it was, he didn't want to send them to an early grave.

"Congratulations on your marriage, Lord Irving," a younger maid said softly.

"Thank you," he replied, feeling uncomfortable under their scrutinizing stares. "I was wondering if I could have something to eat?"

Of course, Lord Irving." Lloyd recognized the voice---and found that a butler was indeed the owner. This one was blond and not as severe as Tristan. At least, this butler was smiling. "Any request?"

"Not really, just something to tide me over until dinner."

"Yes, my lord. We can bring it to you, if that would suit you?" Lloyd nodded, and the butler continued. "Do you need help getting back to your room?"

Lloyd frowned at the mockery he heard in butler's voice. And he'd been looking forward to making friends with someone in this manor.

"No," he replied firmly, making sure his voice carried a tone of slight anger. "What is your name again?"

The butler paled and worked his jaw. His answer was so long in coming that the pretty maid answered for him.

"His name is Albert, Lord Irving." She smiled, a flash of white teeth. "And I'm Nina. It's our pleasure to serve you."

"Ah, thanks, Nina," Lloyd answered. He narrowed his eyes at Albert. "I'll remember you."

Albert's throat contracted. "We shall whip something up for you, Lord Irving." His speech was rushed and tremulous. "Please wait in your room. It'll be up in just a moment."

"Thank you."

Lloyd stepped out of the kitchens making sure to close the door behind him firmly. He waited for any more talk, but since he heard none after a minute, he returned to his room, satisfied.

He'd be damned if the aristocracy or anyone in _this_ household, for that matter, got the better of him because of where he came from or how he acted. A smirk appeared on the boy's face as ideas ran through his head, as he continued walking back to his new room.

The best revenge was outsmarting them at their own game

Right?

* * *

Kratos liked the peaceful atmosphere he had at his home. It made coming back from business affairs and balls all the more worthwhile.

But now he noticed that something was off. In the corner of his eye, Kratos noticed that one of his older butlers, Albert, stared at Lloyd fearfully.

Kratos raised a silent eyebrow at Lloyd, who had sat next to him, stuffing himself with food as though he'd never eaten before in his life. Where did the glutton put it all?

Before Lloyd could reach for another steak, Kratos tactfully pushed the plate out of Lloyd's reach. Lloyd glared at him, and to further the injury, Kratos placed the meat on his own plate, cutting it up with a grace that Lloyd lacked inherently.

"What did you do?" Kratos asked quietly.

Lloyd tilted his head, his cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk's. He finished chewing, and swallowed his food, thankfully before answering the question.

"I didn't do anything."

Lloyd reached over and grabbed the bread basket, but Kratos beat him to the punch and stacked it on his plate. The young man's answer was far from satisfactory.

"Then why does Albert look like he's about to piss his pants?"

"What?!" Lloyd asked loudly, his eyes squinting with barely contained laughter.

The servants nearby winced before picking up the empty dishes and taking them back to the kitchen. Kratos watched, silently amused, as Lloyd flushed and stared at his half-empty plate. He took a slow sip of cider before taking a discreet---or what he thought was discreet---look at Albert. Now, Kratos thought, Lloyd sees that the man is indeed looking pale and frightened.

Lloyd set the glass down and gave Kratos an apologetic look before turning to Albert. What was the little devil up to now?

"Albert?" Lloyd called quietly, but loud enough to carry across the room.

Kratos continued to watch, enjoying the scene unfolding before him.

Albert looked up and hurried over. He bowed slightly. "Yes, Lord Irving?"

"I'm sorry," Lloyd said abruptly.

Albert looked surprised and apprehensive. "If I may ask," the confusion warbling his voice, "what you are apologizing for?"

"For making it seem like I was threatening you."

Albert smiled and set the plate of food in front of Lloyd. "It was not you, my lord," he stated with a strained smile. He cast Kratos a wary look. "The Duchess Lualdi came by today to personally give Lord Aurion an invitation to her ball."

Lloyd turned towards Kratos. "Who's that?"

Kratos frowned and took another sip of his wine. "She is a half-elf duchess. She's not exactly liked. but no one says anything about it."

"Because it's not polite to do so."

"You do learn fast, Lloyd," Kratos said, seriously.

Lloyd gave him a smirk before returning to his food. "I do my best, Kratos. Are you going to Duchess Lualdi Ball?"

"If I have the time, they think I can be at two places at once."

In truth, Alice Lualdi was known to be a manipulative woman, along with her husband Decus, and neither did not think twice to say or do harmful things to others. Kratos wanted Lloyd to stay far away from the pair, but some things, unfortunately, could not be avoided.

"You get a lot of invitations?" Lloyd asked.

"The Lord Aurion gets one every week," Andrea called as she entered, carrying a plate of desserts which Lloyd drooled over

Andrea gave Lloyd a large smile before placing a piece of chocolate cake the size of a small boulder in front of him and clearing away the stray dishes.

"Thank you, Andrea," Lloyd replied. He picked up his fork, but had a pensive look on his face. "Um, may I ask where you're from?"

"Well, of course you can, dear! I hail from Palmacosta, a little ways from Iselia and I'm guessing from that accent that's where you're from?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Oh, goodness! Have you heard of a dwarf named Dirk there? It's been ages since I've seen him…"

Kratos watched silently as Lloyd turned pale and lowered his gaze. The muscles in Lloyd's throat contracted.

"I-I'm sorry, Andrea…."

.

Andrea's light green eyes became concerned with the pained look on Lloyd's face, and she laid a gentle hand on Lloyd's slim shoulder.

"I take it Dirk is with the Goddess Martel now, my boy." Andrea's eyes widened when a sob escaped Lloyd's lips. "Oh, dear, I didn't mean to upset you, Lord Irving."

"N-no, don't apologize. I'm Dirk's adopted son. He hasn't been gone for very long."

Andrea withdrew a handkerchief from her pocket and gently dabbed his tears away.

"There now, my boy."

She cast a look at Kratos, and though he tried to neutralize his face, he knew she had noticed the sympathy there. Lloyd slowly stood up and addressed Kratos.

I'm going to bed now. Goodnight."

"Here, I'll walk you there," Kratos said, standing up and putting his hand firmly on Lloyd's shoulder. On the way back to the room, Kratos's mind wandered. Lloyd had lost so much, his only family dead and now he'd been suddenly cast into this new and cold world. Protectively, his hand tightened on Lloyd's slender shoulder. He would make sure that Lloyd would be warm and safe from now on. They continued to walk to Lloyd's new bedroom was tense and somewhat awkward. Kratos noticed that younger man's movements had become sluggish

Will you be all right?" Kratos asked, helping Lloyd crawl into the bed.

When Lloyd gave him a strained smile, his heart pinched at the sight of it. "I'll be fine. We're going to meet some of your friends tomorrow?"

Yes. I'm sure you'll get along with Emil just fine."

"I hope so," Lloyd said softly, and before his brown eyes closed with sleep, he gave Kratos a grateful look.

Kratos walked over to the door, but Lloyd's voice reached him, turning him back to the bed. Lloyd looked small, almost frightened, under the covers in the huge bed.

"Yes, Lloyd?"

Lloyd smiled at him again and Kratos was immediately reminded of the smile that Anna had so long ago when she was truly happy

"Thank you," Lloyd whispered.

"My room is right down the hall and to the left if you need me," Kratos said gently before exiting the room and shutting the door quietly behind him. Andrea was waiting for him outside of the room.

"Are you sure about this, Lord Aurion?" she asked, as she walked slightly behind him down the long hallway.

"At first, no. I was sure that Lloyd was going to reject me, and then I wouldn't have to worry about the agreement. But some part of me wanted Lloyd to agree to it---"

You're lonely, Kratos," she said softly. "You may tell yourself that you need no one but you're only lying to yourself. In the long run, everyone needs someone beside them. _You're_ no different."

Andrea gave the man a small smile., bowing and leaving Kratos to his own thoughts. She really hoped everything would turn out okay in the end

Watching as she walked away until she was out of sight, Kratos then stepped into his large bedroom, which was covered in warm violet and blue. He gazed at a small vase of jasmine that sat on the right side of the bed. Anna had always like the flower, and he had them imported from Asgard. Kratos sat heavily on the bed and buried his face into his cold hands. He released a deep breath before looking back up and over to a large portrait over the fireplace.

"What do you think of him, Anna?"

Not expecting a reply as always, Kratos slowly undressed, and slipped into a pair black silk pajama bottoms. Sliding into the cold sheets and comforter, he let a content expression slide onto his face and ran his mind through the days events. He could tell that the staff had not taken well to his announcement, especially Tristan, but none of them would dare speak out of term. Only Andrea had that privilege, and his lips pulled into a small smile as Lloyd entered his mind. He was glad that Lloyd had not been as disrespectful as he had originally thought. He still needed lessons in etiquette, which he would see to it tomorrow

Closing his eyes, Kratos finally banished his thoughts and fell into a fitful sleep.

Alexander : …whew! So, next chapter Lloyd and Emil will finally meet! Aren't you Richter/Emil fans happy~!

Griever : About Alices' Last name. since she had no last name we decided for her to be a distant relative of Marta's which should be appearing hopefully in a chapters. Guess who's she's married to?

Alexander : Review!


	4. Chapter 4

Valkyria : Welcome to Chapter Four of Flames of the Hearts. I'm so happy that you guys like this story, maybe I should let my ideas out more often teehee

Griever : As you can see Alexander : The Holy Guardian has changed her name to Wings of the Valkyria which is pretty hot in my opinion and hopefully in yours too.

Valkyria : I'm sure…anyways we have no rights to Tales of Symphonia nor it's characters. Have fun reading =)

Chapter Four : The More that I Try

"_Meeting Richter and Emil. Was an interesting experience to put it mildly. Nonetheless they welcomed me with open arms and I will forever be grateful"_

_Lloyd Irving-Aurion_

Breakfast was a quiet affair, in which for once Lloyd was grateful for, he glanced up at Kratos, who quietly signed papers at the table and drank coffee every few seconds, glasses perched on his nose. He had to admit, the man was undeniably attractive. Lloyd flushed when Kratos caught him staring again, and he quickly averted his gaze

His breakdown was last night was embarrassing, to put it mildly, but what had surprised him the most was how gentle and caring Kratos had been. His first impression of the older man was that he was cold and businesslike- like every other noble Lloyd had the unfortunate chance to come across. Lloyd looked up from his plate when the double doors open and Tristan, with his usual frown in place, walked through.

Tristan bowed, his movements stiff, barely giving Lloyd a glace, and turned towards Kratos

"The Lords Abend have arrived. Shall I set them in the drawing room?"

Kratos took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes before turning to the old butler. His usually cold red eyes were gleaming with amusement.

"Yes, tell them I shall be with them within the moment."

Tristan bowed again, giving Lloyd one last bland look. "As my lord wishes."

Lloyd frowned at the butler's back and turned to see Kratos gathering his papers and standing up, the scraping of the chair breaking the silence again. He looked up to see Kratos patiently waiting for him to finish. Lloyd dropped the fork and stood up, flashing a smile towards Kratos and motioning him to go ahead

How well he was going to get along with this Emil and Richter?

--------

-Kratos deeply respected Richter Abend, who was an intelligent man and did things that benefited him and those he cared about, and ,it seemed to Kratos, having been married for three years did nothing to change that fact.

Even though marring Emil ruined Richter's reputation in the eyes of the King of Tetha'alla and the aristocracy, the viscount merely brushed his fellow nobles aside and followed his heart. Kratos, glancing back to Lloyd, who looked vulnerable and tired, wondered if he could do the same.

Opening the door to the drawing room, Kratos allowed Lloyd to go through first, smiling at the awed expression on the young man's face, he walked through and silently shut the door behind him.

The drawing room was one of Kratos favorite places, on the fourth floor of the manor, and it provided a perfect view of the city and the castle. The large windows were covered by cream-colored curtains; two couches and three armchairs were placed conveniently by the fireplace.

Kratos reached forward with a gloved hand and gently pushed Lloyd forward, causing a frown, and the soft brown eyes crinkled with underlying fear.

Kratos ignored the look for now and gave Richter and Emil who were sitting close together on the couch, a respectful nod of the head.

"Richter. Emil, thank you for coming today." He motioned for Lloyd to take a seat, and frowned slightly when Lloyd nervously eased himself down on the couch. Kratos would talk to him later.

"Lord Aurion. It's been awhile." Richter spoke quietly, as he reached over and laid his tan hand on Emil's shoulder.

"Was there something important you wanted to talk to us about, Kratos?" Emil asked with a worried frowned on his pale features.

-----------

Staring at the couple before him, Kratos knew what he was about to say wasn't going to get into the social circles too soon. He didn't have to worry about Richter opening his mouth.

But it was Emil that Kratos worried about. Emil was a good person, kind hearted and beautiful, but the sixteen year old never kept anything from his good friend and play sister, Marta Lualdi, who was a distant cousin to Alice Lualdi, and Kratos almost groaned out loud at the thought of the hyperactive woman. She couldn't keep her mouth shut if her life depended on it. This was going to be a long winter.

"Yes," he replied at last, giving Lloyd a quick glance before turning back towards the couple in front of him. "I would like you to help Lloyd here with our wedding plans for this spring"

.

Kratos watched as Richter's and Emil's faces fall from shock to stiff politeness to hide the questions he knew they wanted to ask.

He looked at Lloyd to see the boy flushed and fidgety, and then he looked at Emil, who now wore a more relaxed expression on his face.

"I would love to help," Emil replied after a minute of tense silence. "Etiquette as well?"

Kratos raised an eyebrow at this, since it wasn't often that someone else offered to teach a foreigner, especially in Meltokio. Emil was from Palmacosta so he knew how hard it was for someone to fit in, and it would be a good idea for someone close to Lloyd's age to teach him.

"Yes, if Lloyd does not mind."

Lloyd didn't know why, but he felt like he was being thrown to the wolves. Richter and Emil were a handsome couple that oozed sensuality and grace, something he greatly lacked. He would never admit it out loud, but it hurt that he couldn't be that way for Kratos. The man had comforted him and made sure he was respected in the household.

Looking down at the dark blue carpet, his mind wandered. Lloyd didn't want Kratos to make his staff respect him, he wanted to do that all on his own. He raised his eyes to Emil's bright green ones and smiled

"No, I don't mind at all. Thank you for offering, Emil."

Emil clapped his hands. "Well! It's settled then, we'll start right now!"

Lloyd's eyes widened as Emil grabbed his wrist and wrenched him from Kratos's side.

"Now?!" he cried out.

This was going to be a very long day indeed.

Watching his husband drag a less-than-enthusiastic Lloyd out of the room, Richter turned to Kratos to see that man had seated himself on the couch, cup of tea in hand.

"What's this really about, Kratos? You go to Iselia on business and come back engaged? That's a little odd, if not down-right suspicious. "

Kratos frowned at the younger man sitting in front of him. "Do you remember Dirk?"

"The famous blacksmith? Yes, I've heard of him."

Kratos set his tea cup on the table, before looking Richter directly in the eye. "He saved my life three years ago."

Richter leaned forward, his emerald eyes narrowed with suspicion and a small hint of worry. "You never told anyone why you came back looking like the dead. Care to elaborate?"

"No," Kratos replied lowly. "I do not."

"So, in exchange, Dirk asked you to take his son's hand in marriage?" Richter continued

"Yes."

"Are you insane?" Richter asked quietly.

"I see no reason not to say no to the proposal and by the time I had arrived in Iselia, Dirk had already

passed away. You were in the same situation yourself were you not?"

Richter ignored that comment. "Lloyd agreed to this. Did he have any clue?"

"No, not until shortly after Dirk's death."

Richter leaned forward and stared Kratos directly in the eyes.

"Do you have any feelings for Lloyd Irving other than obligation?"

Kratos remained silent, except to take another sip of his tea.

"Is that a yes or a no?"

"You're a smart man Viscount Abend, I'm sure your sharp eyes and mind can figure out how I feel about Lloyd."

Richter sighed heavily and slowly shook his head. "I hope you know what you're doing."

* * *

Lloyd stared at the mounting sheets of paper in slight horror, it had been an hour since they had situated themselves in Lloyd's room, and in that short amount of time, Emil had been talking about what he would do for the wedding, making sure Lloyd gave his opinion on everything before moving on.

When the last paper fell into the stack, Lloyd gave a silent sigh of relief . He cast a look at Emil, who rubbed his hands and shook his head in what seemed like amusement.

"How long did it take for you to learn all of these?" Lloyd asked Emil

About two months," Emil replied, leafing through the sheets, before picking [omit] up the pen and writing one last thing and handing it over to Lloyd

"The first three pages are table manners," he heard Emil explained as he silently read the pages

"When did you meet Kratos?" Emil asked curiously. Lloyd tensed at the question, keeping his gaze on the paper in front of him.

"Two days ago," Lloyd replied hesitantly and with a flush coming onto his face.

"And you're already engaged?" That doesn't sound like the cold, logical Kratos I know."

Lloyd bit his lip and remained silent. Emil, noticing Lloyd's discomfort, smiled assuredly

"Is it arranged?" he heard Emil asked quietly. Lloyd nodded silently his gaze still on the papers, his body slowly starting to shake from nerves

"It's all right," Emil said softly. "Richter and I were too. I don't have a drop of nobility blood in me."

Lloyd's head snapped up in surprised and met caring green eyes. "R-really?

"Really."

"Then where-"

"I'm from Palmacosta," Emil interrupted smoothly, "as I'm sure Kratos probably already told you."

Lloyd nodded, briefly remembering Kratos telling him where Emil was from on the carriage ride here

"How did you get married to Richter anyways? I mean no offense, but he seems like the type that wouldn't marry out of his own social status," Lloyd asked. He was surprised to suddenly see a painful look on Emil's face.

"But-"

"He picked me at first because I looked like his friend Aster-"

Lloyd reached over and grabbed Emil's hand tightly. "I'm sorry you don't-"

"I'm going to tell you, Lloyd," Emil interrupted, his voice cracking, "of how I met Richter and how I found out that he was just using me."

Valkyria : Thank you for reading. Please PLEASE review~!

Griever : Please do before she has a seizure or something….


	5. Chapter 5

Valkyria : Sorry about the wait~! seemed to be getting more busy lately... ;

Griever : We have no ownership over Tales of Symphonia. nor any of it's characters. We like to give our thanks to our Beta : Jan Lee. Thank you for putting up with us Jan Lee.

Valkyria : Enjoy Reading!

"_I never realized how close Emil and I would become. When he told me his story and the pain he went through I wanted nothing more than to go home so I wouldn't go through the same. But my growing feelings for Kratos kept me there and I'm glad that I was stubborn enough to stay." _-_Lloyd Irving-Aurion_

**Chapter Five: Far from Our World, Part One**

"I don't understand," Lloyd said, his hand still gripping Emil's slender and pale one. "Why would Richter do such a thing?"

Emil lowered his head, his blond bangs hiding his eyes, but unfortunately he was unable to hide the obvious pain his voice. "He loved Aster so much, that a part of me still thinks he does, but the guilt still has a grip on him."

"What happened? I mean did you two meet in Palmacosta or-?"

"It was in Luin," Emil said suddenly. "We met in Luin. I was visiting my aunt and uncle at the time."

Lloyd listened to Emil's story as he told it.

----

It was summertime, and my parents and I decided to visit my Uncle Alba and Aunt Flora. Flora was my mother's younger sister. They were both retired merchants, but Aunt and Uncle had saved enough during their working years to make the rest of their lives comfortable. Luin was a small town with an inn and a few stores here and there but it was mostly known for Lake Sinoa which attracted nobles from Meltokio and brought in a lot of revenue.

That's how the town was able to survive for so long. Richter and Aster were vacationing there for the week. You could see the love-struck expression Richter had on his face when he stared at Aster, but it amazed me how Aster never noticed. Or maybe he noticed and just chose to ignore it.

"Lana!" I could hear the disapproval in Flora's voice. Seemed she disapproved of my mother and my father and _me_… "You still haven't married Emil off yet? He's getting older."

"He's too young to be married off," Lana replied firmly. "I'm not going to be one of those mothers who marries off her son at a young age, and to a noble at that."

Aunt Flora was always trying to marry me off, that's why I always dreaded coming to Luin. Uncle Alba wasn't any better.

He was always so bitter about my single status. "He's never shown any interest in girls here _or_ in Palmacosta. Reysol hasn't said anything about this?"

"_Alba_," Lana warned. "Flora, we came here to visit _you_, not to come here and hear your opinion about Emil's martial status or sexuality!"

I pulled away from the door with a sigh and walked towards the bed. It was always the same with Aunt and Uncle, and looking around the room, I found the same old blue curtains near the window, a chair next to the old bed. Things never moved forward here.

"Getting away from your aunt and uncle doesn't seem like a bad idea, son," my father said from the doorway. I jumped and spun around to see him smiling at me.

Reysol Castagnier was a tall man with dark blonde hair and light green eyes, and wore a simple blue t-shirt and khaki shorts hung off his lightly muscled frame I smiled at my father, relieved to see him, as he was always the voice of reason when it came to my aunt and uncle.

"Why are they trying so hard to marry me off, Dad?" I asked softly, getting up and walking towards the window. I smiled when I saw some small children playing outside. They seemed so carefree and unconcerned with the aristocracy and marriage.

Reysol sighed heavily and walked further into the room, taking a seat on the chair next to the small bed.

"You know why," he finally replied after a pause. I bit my lips, my body still facing the small window.

"Does…my sexuality really matter? Doesn't Martel love everyone? You always told me that."

I heard the scraping of the chair and footsteps before feeling my father's strong hand on my shoulder.

"I did, and I will continue to do so, Emil. Never mind what Flora and Alba say, because their opinions will mean nothing in the long run. Only your happiness." I was happy that my parents had no problem with my sexuality, but no matter how many times they waved it away as my choice, I still felt somewhat anxious about it.

It was on the second day that I actually met the two, come to think of it, Kratos and Anna were there as well…

I remember the day when I met them clearly. Wearing only a sleeveless red shirt and blue shorts and sandals, I made my way downstairs. The house consisted of two floors, two rooms meant for guests on the second floor and two rooms for my uncle and aunt. All four rooms were sparsely furnished with beds and chairs, making the large home seem dull in comparison to my own home in Palmacosta.

"Mom, Dad, I'm going to the lake!" I said. Lana and Reysol turned and gave me a look-over before nodding and turning back towards the television.

"You shouldn't go there yet, Emil." Flora spoke from her seat in the large armchair, dressed in a simple light blue sundress, her brown hair in a tight bun. Flora was a frail woman in her mid-thirties, but due to an accident some years ago, she looked older than what she appeared.

"Why not?" I asked cautiously, even though we had been there for only a single day, I felt I had no respectable reason to speak to my aunt or uncle.

"The nobles are visiting at the moment," Flora snapped. "I don't want you embarrassing us, or the town of Luin with-"

"It'll be fine." Reysol spoke with a note of finality. "I'm sure Emil will stay out of the way, won't you, Emil?"

"Yes, Father, I will," I replied softly.

"Then it's settled!" Lana spoke louder than necessary. She stood up, to kiss me on the forehead and to gently shove me out of the house.

"Have a good time, sweetie."

I smiled at her before leaving through the front door and walking down the dirt path.

"Behave!" my mother cried out, so I waved a hand before continuing on.

Lake Sinoa is one of the biggest bodies of water in the area. It is very beautiful, and attracted many visitors to Luin during the summer and fall. It is so clear that you can see to the very bottom of the lake. Sinoa took up most of the area outside of town, and it had dozens of tress surrounding it, giving visitors plenty of shade.

I had come to the lake at last, hot and dusty from the trail and immediately ducked behind a tree to stare in awe. I didn't know that many nobles were going to be there! Some nobles had stripped off the shoes and had their feet in the water, some were bolder and had taken to swimming, while the conservative ones had lain out blankets and were sitting under the large oak trees on colorful blankets.

"Are you from here?"

The voice was a teasing whisper. I remember I squeaked and froze from surprise at the sudden voice behind me**,** while a deep chuckle resonated through the humid air. I looked up to find a tall man with violet eyes and blonde hair peering back at me, eyes sparkling with amusement.

"W-who are you?" I asked.

"Aster," he replied. He held out his gloved hand for me. "Aster Grants and you?"I felt his strength in his arm as he pulled me up. He was strong for someone his height-looks could be deceiving, indeed_._

"Emil Castagnier. It's nice to meet you, Aster." . Aster seemed eager, but friendly enough.

"Aren't you hot in that?" I blurted out suddenly.

Aster laughed, and then gave me blinding smile. "Nah, it was made for the summertime even though it doesn't look it." He tilted his head. "So, _are_ you from Luin?"

"No, I'm from Palmacosta. I'm visiting my aunt and uncle for the summer."

I must've shown my dislike because Aster then said, "I see…you don't look very happy to be here. Not your favorite relatives?"

The intensity of glare made me feel uncomfortable. I shuffled my sandaled foot on the grass and shook my head. Discomfort was not alien to me, since my aunt and uncle thrived from making any situation awkward.]

"You could say that. They're always trying to-"

"Aster!" a deep voice called out.

We turned to see a redheaded man walking towards us. Aster waved, his face lighting up. This other man was…whoa.

"Richter! Over here! I want you to meet someone!"

I felt heat rush to my face when Richter came closer. He was the most handsome man I had ever seen…

"Richter," Aster said, grabbing the man's arm, "this is Emil Castagnier. He's visiting his relatives in the village. Emil, this is Viscount Richter Abend."

Richter had dark red hair, tan skin and vivid emerald eyes framed by stylish glasses. His lips were red and full, and I noticed the broad shoulders that showed even underneath his coat.

I bowed, mostly to hide my flushed face from Richter's view. When I came back up, I was surprised to find Richter's intense emerald eyes staring at me. I could feel my embarrassment deepen.

"You okay?" Aster asked me somewhat concerned . "You're all red. Are you too hot?"

Oh, I was hot all right, and I put a hand to my face to cover the blush. It would be embarrassing for them to know the reason behind my blush was Richter**.** "N-no, I'm fine. I have to be going now. It was nice to meet-" _._

Richter's voice was rich, smooth. "You don't have to rush off, Emil. If I may call you that."

"Yeah!" Aster said, and I felt like hitting him for his cheerfulness, "you don't have to go! Come on, we'll introduce you to Kratos and Anna."

All I could think about was the attraction I felt for Richter and the growing feeling that I would soon hideously embarrass myself.

"Duke Aurion and Duchess Aurion!" Just their names made my breath catch. I backed up, and Aster and Richter gave me confused looks. "Thank you, but I have to really get going…"

I was just about to escape when Aster grabbed my bare wrist and pulled me back.

"C'mon! You can tell us all about Palmacosta, and I'm sure Anna and Kratos will love you. They don't get out much."

"Aster!" Richter warned from behind us.

"What? They don't!" Aster looked at me. Pleading. "So? Will you?"

I groaned mentally. Aunt Flora [had explicitly told me not to disturb the nobles and now I was going to sit down with them! But Aster and Richter seemed friendly enough and I didn't want to seem rude, and well, what Aunt Flora didn't know certainly wasn't going to hurt her.

"O-okay," I replied, "but only for a few minutes!"When a strong hand landed on my shoulder, I jumped. Richter looked somewhat irritated.

"We're not going to bite you," he said. "Not all nobles are nasty."

I felt so ashamed that I had lumped this beautiful man and his friend in the same category as all the other nobles. I found my sandals particularly interesting.

I bit my lip and apologized. "I…I'm sorry if I've offended you, Aster, Richter, and thank you for inviting me."

Richter squeezed my shoulder before moving away and walking back towards the lake, leaving Aster and I behind.

"Well[," Aster said, "let's get going."

Together, we walked over to another couple, sitting on a blanket with a picnic basket between them. Kratos smiled a lot more often back then, with a kindhearted woman like Anna, it was impossible to not smile. She was playful and cheerful, and Kratos was protective of her. But it was during that small time that I fell in love with Richter; the way he spoke, moved and held himself…you could say it was admiration mixed in with love_._

Lying back on the blanket that was under the oak tree, I couldn't resist sneaking glances at Richter and Aster. The two acted like a couple, but from the way Richter would gaze at Aster when Aster's back was turned told a different story. Meeting Kratos and Anna didn't turn out so bad after all, even though Kratos still didn't exactly trust me. Then again, he had only met me, so that was understandable.

When I first met Anna, she poked me in my arm. Not softly, but actually pretty hard. I turned to find her gazing at me with amusement in her hazel eyes, and even though I wasn't attracted to women, I had to admit that Anna was a beautiful woman.

"Walk with me," she said. "I have a secret I want to tell you."

A secret? What secret would a noblewoman have that she would want to tell a peasant from Palmacosta? Regardless, I stood and walked with her. Lady Anna Aurion was a short woman, even with two inch heels, and with chestnut brown hair that was currently bundled up underneath a pink bonnet. Her pink and white corset dress showed off her pale and slim shoulders, and the breeze lifted and ruffled the light material of her skirt as she walked.

They had strolled some distance from the others, and even from there, I could see Kratos's protective gaze on them.

Anna leaned in. "They aren't a couple, you know," she whispered.

My eyebrow lifted. "Is Richter in love with Aster?"

Anna looked away at the lake, giving a small wave when one of the children looked her way.

"Yes, but only Kratos and I know of it. We've told Richter to admit his feelings, but Richter is too stubborn to do so. I can see the same love struck expression in your eyes as well. Are you that taken with him already?"

I was surprised with her candid assessment. "Yes. I know I've only known him for few hours but it's a 'love at first sight' thing. Did you feel this way with Kratos?"

Anna snorted and shook her head. "Not really. Kratos was like a block of ice when I met him. When he retires, his father wants Kratos to take his place as commander of the royal army, but my dear husband's mind is on research with Aster and Richter even though he is considered an expert in swordsmanship. Besides that, it wasn't love at first sight. But after awhile our polite toleration turned into love.

I saw an opportunity. Maybe I could put Anna off the subject of Richter and myself for a bit. It was embarrassing. I tilted my head in posed curiosity. "What are they researching?"

"The Goddess Martel, and her brother Mithos, along with the Centurion Cores---Emil, don't change the subject now."

"Sorry. It was worth a shot."

"Anna," Kratos called. We turned to see Kratos putting his jacket over his vest. "It's time to go back to the inn." He looked at me, eyes shrewd. "Will you be all right getting back home on your own?"

Who does he think I am? Some helpless girl? I nodded my head. "Yes, it's only a short walk I'll be fine."

"I'll take him back," Richter said from behind me.

I turned to see the Viscount with his jacket draped over his arm and without Aster, I suddenly put my hands in my pockets to hide the fact they were shaking. My heart was beating so hard and fast I was surprised no one could hear it, and I knew my face was on fire. Again. Well, whose wouldn't at having someone as handsome as Richter walking them home?

Anna gave us a smile and clapped her hands. "Excellent! It's nearly sunset, and I don't want any monsters eating up Emil."

I flushed with the thought of her ridiculous comment and turned towards Richter with a shy smile. "Thank you, Richter. Shall we?"

I walked forward and looked back to see Richter nodding his head to Anna and Kratos. Before catching up to me, he gave the couple one last wave before continuing on the dirt path.

We were halfway there before Richter started speaking.

"Did you enjoy yourself?" he asked me.

I shivered at his tone and nodded my head, almost too love-struck for words, just as Anna had said.

"Y-yes. I had fun. Thank you again for inviting me and will you tell Aster as well?"

"I'll tell him."

"Richter? I-" I bit my lip and looked ahead, my palms sweaty.

"Yes? What is it?"

"I-I…never mind!"

Richter sighed. "If you're going to say something then say it."

I shook my head and stopped. "I wanted to say that I'm in lo-" Anna's words earlier suddenly rushed back me. If I confessed now, I knew I was going to be rejected because Richter was in love with Aster, a child could see that, but I didn't care as long as I could tell him before he left.

"Emil! Your mother's been worried about you! Hurry and get inside!" Reysol called from the lit porch.

"You can tell me tomorrow," Richter said quietly.

I could only nod and bow to Richter, then turn and take three steps toward the house. I had done all this before what the man said settled in and turned me back quickly.

"What did you say? _Tomorrow_?"

Richter quirked an eyebrow before nodding. "Yes. Aster wants to see you tomorrow so you can show him around town. This is his first time in Luin. You will, won't you?"

I was stunned and could only shuffle my feet. It would give me another chance to see Richter and confess, but I knew that he wouldn't return my feelings. I had to stay true to my heart, I had to get it off my chest._._

"Sure," I answered. "I'd love to show Aster around tomorrow." And to see you, I added silently.

"He'll be happy to hear that. Now that you're home I'm to the inn. Good night, Emil."

"G-goodnight," I said, watching him walk back down the darkened path until he couldn't be seen.

Then I walked up the porch where my father was waiting for me patiently.

"Who was that?" Reysol asked. Heh. He hid his suspicion poorly. I raised my hands to calm him.

"Just a friend. Come on, Dad. It's late. Let's go inside."

I let my father go inside first, and I gave one last glance into the darkness before going inside and bracing for my mother's scolding.

I was happy that I was going to see Richter again, but what I didn't know at the time was how deep I was going to fall. In love and in despair.


	6. Chapter 6

**_Valkyria : First I have to apologize, for making you guys wait so long for this. Life gets in the way you know? _**

**_Griever : Let's get the story started hmm? I'm sure the reviewers would appreciate it. _**

**_Valkyria : We claim no ownership of Tales of Symphonia! But we do owe our thanks to our beta Jan Lee _**

**_Griever : Thanks a bunch Jan Lee. _**

**_

* * *

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"_By the end of the story, I felt Emil's happiness in his gestures and voice. I knew that he hadn't yet completely forgotten what Richter did and that there was still a small gap between them. He was trying and so was Richter, and what really matters in the end is that they love each other. As for me, I was unfortunate enough meet Kratos's old friend, Yuan, who was not very happy with the 'arrangement' we had."_

-_Lloyd Irving-Aurion._

_Chapter Six: Far from Our World, Part 2_

The tour of Luin was..._entertaing__._ Anna and Kratos decided to tag along at the last minute, which made me somewhat suspicious, especially that sweet smile that was gracing Anna's face when she greeted me. She knew that I was infatuated with Richter, so having her there made the tour all the more awkward. Showing a group of nobles around was not easy, since they wanted to see _everything_ and meet _everyone. _During it, I found that Anna was originally from Luin, so she was a great help with pointing out things that I missed at times.

Richter was quiet the entire time, glancing amusedly at me from behind those glasses I had come to love. He had not mentioned my words from the other night, which had left me anxious, and during the tour I wanted nothing more than to yell out my feelings for him, but Aster's presence stopped that impulse each and every time.

"Luin is a relatively small village, so there's not much here. Only a few shops and the inn are-"

"Can we meet your parents now, Emil?" Aster spoke up suddenly. I raised an eyebrow in his direction and felt my heartbeat increase. Why did he want to meet my parents?

"Yes! I would love to meet them," Anna added happily.

I sighed and turned to Kratos and Richter for the _slightest _help, but they looked at me blankly. Obviously, no help there.

It wasn't my parents that were the problem; it was Uncle Alba and Aunt Flora.

"Okay! I would love for you to meet them!" I replied, and turning my back towards them, I let my face fall. This would not turn out good at the end of the day, especially since Aunt Flora told me to stay _away _from nobles.

When we arrived, my mother and father were sitting on the porch-thankfully without Flora and Alba-talking quietly. I stopped on the steps with Aster close behind. He had a polite smile.

"Mom? Dad?"

Both of them looked toward me…and my guests. Their faces shifted from relaxed to shocked. When my parents stood up suddenly and started bowing, Aster held up his hands, looking sheepish.

"Please," Aster said, walking forward and taking hold of my mother's and father's arms. "Don't bow."

My mother and father looked at me with clear confusion in their eyes, and I gave them a gesture that said I would explain later before turning and waving Richter, Anna, and Kratos forward.

"Mom, Dad, this is Viscount Abend, Duke Aurion, Duchess Aurion and Earl Grants."

Anna walked forward to grab Lana's hands and smiled. "It's a pleasure to meet Emil's mother."

Lana flushed before gripping Anna's hands in greeting. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Duchess Aurion."

Anna pulled Kratos closer to my father, who was standing with a somewhat dazed look on his face.

Kratos held out his hand. "Kratos Aurion. A pleasure to meet you."

"Reysol Castagnier."

Anna and my mother chatted in soft tones, and now my father engaged Kratos in polite conversation as well. Who was missing? Richter stood behind us, silent and watchful, and I gave him a small smile which he hesitantly returned.

Lana opened the door to the small house and gestured in, giving the group of nobles a strained smile. "Won't you come in for some lemonade?" she asked.

I sighed silently, and hoped that Uncle and Aunt wouldn't come home while everyone was still here. I shivered at the thought and the scolding that would come from my mother after everyone would leave.

"Are you going in?" Richter asked from behind me. I spun around to find amused emerald eyes gazing at me.

"Y-yes…um, Richter, about the other night…"

Richter shook his head and gave me a little push. "Later. There is some that I wish to discuss with your parents first."

I knew my confusion was evident, but he gently urged me forward. I stepped inside the house and closed the door behind Richter. Reysol and Anna seated themselves on the couch, Lana and Kratos were on the loveseat next to the unlit fireplace. Richter, Aster and I seated ourselves in the armchairs near the door.

"What a lovely home," Anna commented politely. I wanted to laugh. Lovely? The Inn was lovelier than this sparsely furnished house.

"Thank you," Lana replied.

The next few minutes were filled with talk from politics to fashion, but through whole the time I kept glancing at Richter from the corner of my eye. He still hadn't said anything and it was making me nervous. I tensed when the door opened and slammed, alerting the whole room that someone had arrived. My parents and I knew who, too. I kept my eyes on the doorway and bit my lip when Flora and Alba walked through with their usual frowns.

"Lana…?" Flora started before stopping. When she saw the occupants in the living room, she blanched and gazed at me, and I wanted nothing more than to sink down into the chair and disappear.

"Good afternoon, my lords and lady," Flora said through clenched teeth.

Shooting one last glare towards me, Flora bowed and walked towards the kitchen with an equally angry Alba in tow. Richter raised an eyebrow at the attitude but remained silent.

Kratos, however, frowned and stood. He nodded his head to Lana and Reysol. "We'd best be going now. We need to start packing up, since we have an early start tomorrow."

Richter, who still sat in quiet contemplation, but almost as suddenly as Kratos stood, he turned from me to Kratos, Anna, and Aster.

"You three go ahead…I'll catch up with you later," he said. Aster gave Richter a questioning glance but didn't protest.

"It was nice having you here," Reysol said. "I hope you visit Luin again."

Anna and Aster smiled politely at my mother and father, while Kratos nodded before turning and exiting the house, and leaving my parents and I with Richter. Lana shifted on the couch before putting her trembling hands in her lap.

"W..was there something you wanted to discuss with us, Viscount Abend?"

"Yes, Mrs. Castagnier. This may be blunt, but I would like to take Emil's hand in marriage."

I jumped when I heard dishes and pots crashing to the floor from the kitchen. Alba and Flora rushed out of the kitchen, their faces pale and excited. I remained glued to my chair. No excitement ran through me like I thought it would. Just one question burned in my mind.

_Why?_

My mother had gone into a shock. She didn't move or speak. My father was the one who stood up and stared Richter down.

"No," was the answer that seemed to break the spell over us.

"No?" Flora cried out.

I raised my eyes to my mother's, who was gazing at me her face was still slightly pale but gradually returning to it's normal color.

"Emil," Lana started, quietly gaining everyone's attention. "You are fifteen years old now, old enough to make your own decisions. No matter how much your aunt and uncle disagree doesn't matter. Do you want to marry Richter?"

I licked my lips and lowered my head to my hands. Could someone really and truly love a person in just two days? Did I want to marry Richter? We've only known each other for a short time, but I knew that I loved him. I lifted my head back up and stared at Richter, who was still in the armchair. He had not moved an inch since his proposal. It was unnerving how calm he remained.

"Can I…can I think about this and give you your answer by tomorrow?" I asked Richter.

"I don't see why not," Richter replied, and standing up, he nodded at my parents, as well as my uncle and aunt, before bending down in front of me and looking me in the eyes. "I would be honored if you would accept my proposal, Emil. I hope your answer will be a positive one."

With that, Richter stood and left, leaving me and my parents in stunned silence. The rest of the day only got worse. After the proposal, everyone took sides. Flora and Alba wanted me to immediately accept the proposal, while Mom wanted it to be my decision alone, and Dad wanted to flat out refuse the proposal. _Minor edits._

"He's only fifteen! He's not even of age yet!" Reysol argued.

Lana shook her head. She looked tired-her movements had gotten sloppy and she kept yawning. "I understand what you're saying, sweetheart, but Emil is old enough to make his own decisions, of age or not. Besides, he loves Richter. Don't you, Emil?"

I felt the heat rush to my face when everyone turned [his or her] attention towards me. "Y-yes, I-"

"Emil," Reysol interrupted smoothly, "you can't love someone in two days. It takes time to love someone. It's like your mother and I-"

"If I remember correctly," Flora's sharp voice cut in, "you and Lana eloped when my father forbade you two marrying."

"That has nothing to do with it!" Reysol protested.

"It has everything to do with it. You don't want Emil marrying for the sole reason that he's too young and unable to make the decision on his own."

"You just want to marry him off!"

"STOP!" I cried out, causing everyone to turn his or her attention to me. I took a deep breath before turning to my father first. "Dad, I understand what you're saying, but _I_ _do_ love Richter, and I want to marry him. I want your support in this. Mom, thank you for allowing me to make this decision myself even though I know you don't want me marrying yet. Aunt Flora, Uncle Alba, you two have been trying to marry me off for years, regardless of my age, so you have no right to take a position."

I waited for any more protests before turning to my mother and kissing her on the cheek. "I'm going to bed. I'll see you in the morning, and for Martel's sake, please don't continue this while I'm sleeping."

As I walked up the stairs, my mind wandered. Why had Richter proposed so suddenly? Did he feel the same about me as I felt about him? He had to feel something for me if he suddenly purposed.

Right?

The next morning, I had decided to accept Richter's proposal, much to the delight of my aunt and uncle, and to the despair of my parents. I could tell that I had disappointed them by accepting, but I loved Richter. Aster was surprised and somewhat delighted by the news, but when I would catch him staring at me, I would see that one emotion that I would eventually become accustomed to seeing.

Jealousy.

I packed what I brought from Palmacosta, my mother promising me to send the rest. I hugged both of my parents tightly my mother asked if they would be able to visit me anytime before the wedding, Richter told both of them that he would be happy if they would come to visit sometime before the wedding or anytime they wanted for that matter. Climbing into the carriage I waved one last time to my parents, before we set off. The ride there was filled with questions mostly from me about Meltokio and what it was like. Richter answered my questions patiently and with a small hint of amusement. When we finally arrived, I was surprised by the large number of people that were buying or selling from various shops or simply walking around. Richter's home was near the castle on the west side of the city, It was a large four story mansion with Ivy covering the front.

Stepping out of the carriage after Richter, I turned to see a blonde haired man wearing a immaculate black suit come towards us with a large smile on his face. he bowed towards us both. Richter laid his hand on his shoulder causing me to look up at him.

"Emil" he started. "This is Wulfric, he's the head butler. I'll introduce you to everyone else later" Wulfric, with my bags and Richter's in his hand, he simply nodded his head towards us.

"It's pleasant to meet you Emil"

During my first weeks in Meltokio, I was exposed to the nobility's ugly whispers, because of my so-called _low-class birth._I didn't mind it, as long as I was with Richter.

"Don't slouch, Emil."

Marta Lualdi was a new friend of mine and my pillar of strength. She had known Richter for five years and considered herself pretty close to him. When I asked him about his relationship with her, he frowned and told me that Marta was a kind-hearted woman but somewhat of an airhead at times.

But I wouldn't dare tell her this.

I groaned and did what was requested. "Are we finished Marta?"

"Almost finished," Marta replied gently.

I let a sigh escape my lips and stared at the ceiling. We were in my new room, which was on the third floor of Richter's mansion, colored in light green and dark blue, with a large canopy bed near the fireplace, a wardrobe was near the bed, and with a large mirror next to the bathroom.

"Are these lessons really necessary?" I asked.

Marta frowned and pinched my arm. "Of course they're necessary. You don't want to embarrass Richter, do you?"

I quickly shook my head-that was the last thing I wanted. The etiquette lessons continued for another half hour before Marta gave up for the day-much to my relief-and went home. Not long after, she made me promise to try harder. I decided to find Richter and maybe talk to him before going to bed for the night.

I was outside of his office door when I heard two voices arguing. Richter and Aster…

"What is this all of a sudden?" Aster's agitated voice. "We go to Luin like we always do, and you suddenly decide to marry Emil? He's not even the same status as you!"

A heavy sigh preceded Richter's voice, which was filled with suppressed anger. "It's my decision! I fell in love with Emil-"

"Oh, please, Richter, you can cut the crap now. I know you better than your so-called _fiancé. _You look like you can barely stand around for him for ten minutes at a time."

I felt my heart freeze during the silence that followed. I wanted Richter to deny the accusations that Aster was spewing, but Richter did no such thing.

"I'll ask you again. Are you in love with Emil or are you just with him because he looks similar to me?"

I waited with impatience for Richter's response.

"Yes."

My heart broke at Richter's reply. I slid down to the floor, making sure not to make any noise in the process, and buried my face in my arms. My father had been right-I shouldn't have rushed into this. Deciding to marry Richter had been a horrible, horrible mistake.

"Take him back to Luin," Aster said with solemnity.

When I heard footsteps coming towards the cracked door, I stood up and dried my tears. I plastered on a fake smile when the door opened, and Aster's shocked face came into view.

"Emil?" he asked surprised and concerned. Good. I hoped he felt shame for what he and Richter had done. "How long have you been out here?"

I feigned confusion. "I just came from my etiquette lessons with Marta and wanted to see what Richter was doing. I was hoping we could go to that nice restaurant we went to when I first came here."

Pure jealousy crossed over Aster's face before his face shifted into a polite smile. "Oh, I see. I have to return to the Research Academy now. It's good seeing you again, Emil."

"You as well, Aster," I lied.

I watched him stride down the hall and out of sight. I took a deep breath to control my anger and sadness. I would not let my emotions control me this time. I knocked on the door and waited.

"Come in." Richter sounded tired.

Once again, I faked a smile before walking in. Richter's office was large and well-stocked with books of every kind The open window let in sunlight and light breeze.

"Afternoon, Emil. Did you finish your lessons with Marta?" Richter asked.

I honestly wanted jump across the desk and smack him across the face, but the last few weeks had taught me the virtue of patience and restraint.

"Yes, we did. We ended a little early, but we're going to try table manners tomorrow, and then it's dancing for the rest of the week, so I can go to Duchess Anna ball with you."

I watched in sadistic glee when Richter's face instantly became blank.

"Are you okay?" I asked with falsely constructed concern. "I thought I heard yelling down the hall."

Richter's eyes narrowed, and he shook his head. "Just a slight disagreement with Aster. Nothing to worry about."

Nothing to worry about? I just overheard you using me because I looked like that damned _Aster_! Anger ran through me at the thought of Aster.

"-mil?"

I jerked my head up to find Richter in front of me with a concerned look; at least _that_ part of him was sincere.

"I'm sorry, what were you saying?" I asked.

"Was there something that you wanted?"

Yeah, I wanted to confront you on why you're doing this, but I was never good with confrontations…but I said instead, "Yes! I was wondering if we could return to that restaurant tonight, or are you too busy with something….?"

Richter stared at me neutrally], but I remained silent and patient. "You sure you didn't overhear anything, Emil?"

I tensed a little bit, but I couldn't let him know that I did; I _wouldn't_ let him know that I did. "No. Just muffled yelling. I couldn't make it out. Why? Did something happen between you and Aster?"

"No," was Richter's immediate response, "just research. I'm afraid I'm up to my neck in work tonight, Emil, so another time, okay? We'll have dinner here tonight."

I abruptly stood up from the chair, almost knocking it over in the process, and receiving a somewhat surprised look from Richter.

"Sorry," I said. "Dinner at home is fine. Don't overwork yourself."

Not waiting for his response I walked out, closing the door behind me. I didn't know what do to do with my new knowledge. Confront Richter and Aster? If I did It would bring this whole scandal out in the open and in turn ruining their -mostly Richter's- reputation which they deserved but that would end the engagement meaning they would win regardless, reputations could always be salvaged In the end I decided to stay and work this out and if it didn't then I'm sure Mom and Dad would welcome me home. I stopped walking when I realized that I ended up near Richter's rooms instead of my own. I decided a little exploring was needed anything to help me for getting some kind of revenge, looking around for any of the staff relieved when none of them around. I twisted the silver knob and pushed the door open and stepped inside, closing the door behind me quietly I turned and looked around. Richter's room was covered in silks and velvets nothing but the best for the Viscount. I hurried over to dressers and quickly looked through them, moving clothing out of the way all the while keeping my ears open for the staff or even Richter himself. I stopped when I hit something solid, I grinned and pulled out a small book, I quietly closed the dresser and sat down on the floor. I glanced one last time at the door before put all of my attention into small book.

Flipping through the pages I soon discovered that their was nothing in here but Richter's feelings towards Aster, which I'm pretty sure Aster already knew about, sighing in frustration I closed the book and placed it back it where was, casting one last look towards the sunlit room I left quietly as I had come and heading back towards my room and skipping dinner. I'm sure Richter wouldn't be to disappointed at my absence.

* * *

"Okay, Emil," Marta started, smiling, "you promised you'd try harder today."

Since we were on table manners, we were at the table in the grand dining room. I gave Marta a strained smile. All of these lessons didn't seem worth it anymore, but, well, I _had_ promised that I'd try harder_._

After two hours, I finally dropped the spoon and fork in exhaustion. My arms were sore, so were my butt and back, but I didn't mentioned this to Marta, who stared at me with that gentle smile she always wore for me.

"You did everything right! I'm so proud!"

I could only smile at her. What was I supposed to say? That I no longer wanted to be here? To be with Richter? That he was just using me?

"Thank you for teaching me."

My heart wasn't in my gratitude_._Marta frowned and reached over and patted my hand.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

I nodded, "I'm fine," pulling away from her grip.

She, of all people didn't deserve my hatred. Would be it all right to tell her what I overheard?

"Are you sure you're okay?" Marta asked again.

I shook my head I decided not to tell her. For the first time I would bear my problems alone.

"It's nothing. Is this it for the day?"

Marta continued looking concerned, causing me to adverted my eyes. But I couldn't falter, not now.

"Yes, that's all," she replied after a long pause. "We'll go to the ballroom tomorrow and start on your dancing lessons. Hopefully, you'll be ready for the Duchess Anna's Ball."

A small reward for my secret-she hadn't pressed me for answers about my odd behavior. I would have to learn to keep my face neutral, like the nobles.

The more I thought about it, the angrier I became with Richter and Aster, to the point where I wanted nothing more than to destroy their lives. However, I knew that in the end, the destruction would give me a brief satisfaction, but solve nothing. My heart would remain with a broken. So I pushed the hurt and betrayal and thoughts of revenge to the back of my mind and concentrated on the present.

I wanted to prove to everyone that I belonged here, I wanted to make Richter fall in love with me and if this was the way to do it, then so be it, my little escapade into his rooms last night didn't nothing to help me and I couldn't exactly risk searching the entire house for something, that will get the staff's mouths running alright.

The lessons with Marta dwindled during the following weeks, because of a sudden surge of determination I had. She noticed, but she didn't comment on it. Her words to me were filled with praise for my success.

But it was at dinner time that night before the ball that I began to slip…

The clanking of forks and knives and the servants quietly talking in the kitchen were the only noises in the large, but well-furnished, dining room. It was more awkward than peaceful.

"Marta has told me that you have improved in your lessons," Richter said quietly.

I laid down the knife next to my plate and stared Richter directly in the eyes.

"Yes," I replied, "I'm trying really hard."

Richter picked up his nearby glass of wine. He said nothing further for the moment. I watched his beautiful throat contract as he swallowed. My anger burned hot through he acted as if he did nothing wrong

"How's your research going?" I asked tightly

He stared at me behind the rim of the wine glass, his expression giving nothing away.

"It's fine. We've decided to let Kratos finish the studies on the Goddess Martel, and Aster and I will finish Ratatosks and the Centurion Cores."

I frowned. Immediately Richter became attentive, as he set down the glass with an audible _thump, _causing it to slightly spill over onto the white tablecloth. In a detached way, I watched the blots of red spread through the snowy cloth. Like my anger bleeding through me.

"You've been acting strange these last few days," Richter calmly stated. "Do you mind telling your _fiancé_ what the problem is?"

I accidentally let out a bark of laughter when the word '_fiancé' _passed through Richter's lips. His eyes narrowed at me.

"I'm sorry," I said, raising my hands, "it's just…I'll tell you soon. I promise."

"Does it have something to do with Aster?"

"This has nothing to do with Aster!" I snapped.

I froze when the room became deathly quiet, even the servants stopped what they were doing and stared at me in shock. Richter seemed somewhat stunned at my tone. I quickly stood up and left the room, ignoring Richter's calls for me to come back. I was too angry to care what that meant. He'd already done the damage.

Richter and I avoided each other like a plague for the rest of the night and most of the next day, only speaking to each other when it was absolutely necessary.

"I wish you would tell me what's wrong," Marta said softly, as we twirled around the ballroom.

Duchess Anna's ball was tonight and we were in Richter's ballroom, getting in a last few hours of practice. I stopped us near the balcony and stared at Marta, who was wearing such a sad look.

_"_Does or _did_ Richter have feelings for Aster and did Aster ever return them?" I asked suddenly

Marta pulled away with a look of confusion on her pale features

"They might have why do you ask?"

I smiled at Marta and shook my head. "I think they..." I was stopped when a gloved hand covered my mouth suddenly. I stared at Marta in confusion.

"Fight for him!" Marta cried out, removing her hand from my mouth . "You two belong together."

"You know about…?"

Marta nodded, lowering her eyes to the floor. "You and Aster look so much alike that it borders on creepy. It was easy to put the pieces together, since the nobles had been talking about Richter and Aster getting married for years and all of the sudden you show up?"

"Then why?" I demanded "Why did he choose _me_?"

Marta sighed. "Because you look alike and I think even though he and Aster are close they won't take that final step but with you he could, dreaming of Aster all the while"

I wanted to scream when she finished explaining but I kept it in "Should I…should I confront him about it? It was_ wrong_ of him to do this…"

"It was," Marta replied quietly. "It was immature and wrong of him to use you like this. Regardless, you have strong feelings for him, do you not?"

"Yes, I do."

"Then fight, Emil, fight for the future that you want."

It felt like I was in heaven and hell that night; heaven because I was in Richter's arms dancing, and hell because I would confront him. Of course, not in front of everyone.

"Are you all right?" Richter asked quietly as we twirled across the dance floor.

Anna's and Kratos' ballroom was filled to capacity with nobles all of them richly dressed in all colors and fabrics and went left and right, through the magnificently constructed ballroom. The most impressive feature was the glass roof and ceiling that gave the guests a perfect view of the stars and fireworks. I held onto Richter's broad shoulders as he dipped down and pulled back up. I was too considerate for my own good even though he didn't deserve it I wanted to tell him right now but in private would be a much better blow in my opinion.

"No, I'm not," I replied in hushed tones. "Richter...I..I'll tell you later okay?"

"Okay" Richter was confused, now. "Is it something particularly bad?"

Shaking my head I ignored his question and urged Richter to start dancing again when I began to feel everyone staring at us. I glanced from the corner of my eye and saw Aster staring at Richter with concern. But this time I didn't feel anything. No anger or sadness.

I only felt empty and alone. Richter and I continued dancing, all the while I felt Aster's gaze on us, but I didn't care. I wanted Richter to be mine and mine alone.

That wasn't too much to ask for, was it?

When we arrived home, the situation didn't get better nor did it get worse. I followed Richter to his office. Once the door clicked shut behind us he didn't waste any time questioning me.

"What was it that you wanted to tell me?"

I walked forward and stopped at the chair that was situated in front of his desk.

"Where would like me to start? Oh, how about when I overheard you and Aster talking a couple of days ago you remember don't you?"

Richter stared at me. His face wasn't guarded like it usually was, it had gone pale.

"Why did you do this?" I asked .

If I was going to stay, if this relationship was going to work, then I wanted to know exactly why he betrayed my trust. Why did he go through all of this trouble.

"I wanted Aster," Richter started. "I've always wanted him, but I didn't know that he wanted to pursue a relationship until that day you overheard us. By then it was too late."

"It's not too late," I interrupted. Richter gave me a confused look. "You can still go to him."

I walked to the door and wrenched it open, making sure it didn't bang against the wall.

"Just remember," I said firmly, seeing him rise from his seat, "that as soon as you leave this room, this engagement will be null and void, and you will _never_ see me again." I turned away from and waited, it seemed like an eternity before I slowly turned back around and noticed that Richter hadn't moved an single inch

"A-are you sure?" I asked.

Then for the first time in weeks, Richter gave me a sincere smile. "You might not know it, Emil, but you taught me a lot of things during your stay here. So far those are things that Aster could never really teach me. I will always love him, but I want _you_ to hold my heart. _I_ want this to work, so will you stay?"

I rushed over and wrapped my arms around Richter and kissed him smack on the lips, and judging from the smile on my face after we broke apart, it was answer enough.

_

* * *

_

The sun had set, and Emil sat crossed-leg in the middle of the bed, while Lloyd reclined against the dozens of pillows near the headboard.

"Over the next few weeks things only got better for us, as we talked more and actually discussed our wedding plans with Marta trailing behind for Aster and I, we eventually reconciled, but there was some bitterness between us for awhile until Richter sat us down and we all had a long talk. Now I consider Aster a big brother. It's still somewhat awkward between Richter and Aster, but I don't think the both of them really mind and tend to push it aside when research is concerned.I went back to Palmacosta shortly after the wedding and told my parents what happened, you should have seen the look on their faces when I did, mom had this dreamily look on her face and Dad, well Dad looked frazzled but in the end they were happy for me, they visit every summer.I suppose you could say I got my happy ending. I think so".

"What happened to Anna and Kratos?" Lloyd asked.

"She became sick from the plague that was going around Meltokio in the winter time and never recovered. Kratos was heartbroken over it. He disappeared for almost a month before coming back with a blank look in his eyes. I think he's still grieving. We all are."

Lloyd slowly sat up and stretched and yawned. He was curious-why would Emil suddenly tell him this?

"Why did you tell me all of this?" Lloyd asked. "About you and Richter?"

Emil let himself fall against the bed and stared at the ceiling. "To warn you."

"To warn me? About what?"

"Even though I've gotten used to this life, there hasn't been one day when I haven't wanted to go back to Luin. The city itself maybe beautiful, but the nobles here are nothing but ravenous wolves. I'm not trying to scare you. It's just that not everyone gets a happy ending."

Lloyd bit his lower lip. He was worried and judging by Emil's the solemn voice, he didn't think Emil had lied about how life was here.

"I'm not giving up, though. I'll get my happy ending just like you did, Emil."

Lloyd was surprised when Emil wrapped small tan arms around his neck and bright green eyes peered at him happily.

"I'll be your pillar of strength, then, like Marta was to me."

Lloyd hesitantly wrapped his arms around Emil and hugged him tightly back. He would make it here no matter what it took.

When they went back downstairs, they weren't expecting to hear muffled yelling inside the drawing room. Emil and Lloyd gave each other a look before walking quietly over to the shut door. Lloyd pressed his ear hard against the oak and listened to the somewhat muffled conversation.

"Anna….be …..in ….her …."

"Don't…….into…..this…!"

That definitely had been Kratos's voice, Lloyd thought with a shudder. He had never heard Kratos sound so angry._ Minor edits._

"Calm……BOTH….."

Lloyd turned to see Emil with a slightly anxious look on his face. Lloyd sighed and pressed his ear against the door again.

"What ……..thinking…..he's …….a child!"

Lloyd narrowed his eyes. Who was that third voice? He knew the second voice was unmistakably Richter's. He didn't recognize it at all. He turned back towards Emil.

"Do you know who that third voice is?"

Emil pressed his ear against the door beside Lloyd and waited.

"……he's…….young …….Kratos!"

"That's Yuan Ka-Fai, leader of the Renegades. They are an elite group within the Royal Army. He was supposed to be in Asgard for the time being, but I guess those rumors about you brought him back," Emil answered.

"Rumors!" Lloyd hissed, causing Emil to give him an amused look. "Since when are there rumors about me?"

"I _told_ you that the nobles are nothing but ravenous wolves."

"Right you are-"

Lloyd let out a cry when he was suddenly pulled away from the door, narrowly missing it when it came flying open and a tall, blue-haired man stomped out. He stopped when he spotted Lloyd and Emil.

"So you're _him,_ are you not? The _child_ Kratos is marrying?"

Lloyd glared at the taller man. He gently pushed Emil away and stepped forward. _Minor eidts._

"First, I'm not a_ child_ and second, my name is Lloyd Irving. Third, who the hell are _you_?"

The mysterious man gave Lloyd an amused smirk. "My name is Yuan Ka-Fai. I'm an old friend of Kratos's, and I'm going to do everything in my power to stop this farce you two call a _wedding_._" _


	7. Chapter 7

Valkyria : Hello everyone. I apologize for the long wait D: But I promise I'll try to update sooner! anyone here's the anticipated -we hope- Chapter Eight of Flames of the Heart.

Griever : We have no ownership of Tales of Symphonia. Also our thanks to our beta Jan Lee.

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"_Yuan Fa-Kai is nothing but a malicious bastard and that's putting it _nicely_. Don't get me wrong. I try to get along with him even though our first meeting didn't exactly go well. Regardless of his snobbish attitude, Yuan is really a valuable friend to Kratos and his opinion matters to him, but it's a shame that we still don't get along…"_

_~Lloyd Irving-Aurion _

Chapter Seven: Delightful Day

Normally, in these types of situations, Lloyd would call the person arguing with him all the degrading names he could think of and then proceed to engage in a fistfight. But the last thing he wanted to do was embarrass himself in front of Kratos, so he crossed his arms over his chest and settled for a furious glare instead.

Yuan Fa-Kai was a handsome man with broad shoulders hidden under a long red cloak. High cheekbones and full lips accented his face, and Yuan's slightly pointed ears gave away his elfin heritage. Those ears reminded Lloyd of Raine and Genis. Lloyd would admit that Yuan was attractive, if not for the scathing words that left his mouth.

"I have no intention of letting you ruin Kratos's reputation! He has a lot more to lose than you do," Yuan said to Lloyd. Lloyd did not appreciate the condescending tone.

And by this time, Yuan's outburst had gained the attention of a few butlers and maids who happened to be in the hallway at the time. Lloyd groaned quietly at the curious looks on their faces. The last thing he wanted was an audience!

"What's your problem?" Lloyd asked him. "You have no right to say who Kratos marries or not! So what business of it is yours anyway!"

Yuan waved his hand back towards Kratos, who leaned against the doorway of the drawing room. He looked on with a blank expression.

"It _is_ my business. I have been Kratos's friend since we were children. I watched him grow into the duke he is today, and I will not let you tear his name into shreds with your commoner's heritage!"

Lloyd walked forward with his fists clenched at his sides. "I have no intention of doing that! I'm doing all that I can to make sure I don't disappoint him!"

"That's not enough," Yuan told him quietly. "Do you know what they are saying about you, Lloyd? What they are saying about Kratos? I'm warning you now…save yourselves both the pain. Go back home to Iselia."

"I have no intention of going home." Lloyd had made up his mind to do this and not Yuan, not _anyone, _was going to dictate otherwise. "I'm going to marry Kratos, not out of obligation to my father, but because of love."

"Love?" Yuan mocked. "Kratos isn't doing this out of _love. _He's doing this out of obligation to your father. The only person he will ever love is Anna."

"If you care so much about Kratos then you wouldn't mention Anna every time you think things aren't going your way. I lost my father three weeks ago. I can't imagine how much Kratos and Anna loved each other, but aren't you hurting him every time you mention her?"

Heavy silence hung over the hallway after Lloyd's verbal attack. Yuan had turned white as a sheet. He turned back to Kratos, who stared at Lloyd with an unreadable look.

"This is true?" Yuan asked his old friend quietly.

Kratos remained silent. Still Kratos's unresponsiveness seemed answer enough for Yuan as he turned his attention back to Lloyd, resigned.

"I still think this a mistake, but I think it's best that we continue this discussion at a later date."

As Yuan walked away Kratos' answer stopped him. "There will be nothing to continue, my friend. I intend to marry Lloyd, and nothing you can say or do will convince me otherwise."

"So you will risk everything for obligation? You're a part of Four Grand Duke Houses. That's quite a fall for a mere deal."

Kratos let out a humorless laugh that sent chills down Lloyd's spine. "You worry too much, Yuan. If you remember, I have fallen before and landed on my feet just fine."

With his back still turned, Yuan sighed, his shoulders rising and falling. "Do as you wish, my friend, but remember this: those who fall from grace a first time may not find it so easy to rise a second."

Lloyd released a silent breath of relief when Yuan walked away, trailed by two soldiers. Lloyd wondered if all nobles were that snobbish and stubborn.

Kratos walked forward and laid a hand on Lloyd's shoulder. "I'm sorry that you had to go through that."

"No, it's okay. I'm sorry about bringing up Anna. I know how much you love her…" Lloyd's heart twisted at his own words, which constantly reminded him what Kratos's love was worth. It shouldn't be this hard should it?

"Come with me," Kratos said, grabbing Lloyd's wrists and pulling him towards the stairs.

"Kratos, wait! What about Emil and Richter?"

Their guests had been standing patiently to the side throughout Lloyd's argument with Yuan. Only now did Lloyd remember their presence. Richter chuckled, and Emil slapped his hand over his mouth to cover his own grin.

"We'll show ourselves out," Richter reassured him.

Lloyd was sure he was going to have a bruise on his wrists from Kratos's tight grip. He had to admit that this was the most physical contact he had had with the Duke, which was somewhat pathetic.

Kratos released his wrists when they arrived at a pair of large doors with lapis luizi intertwined with the wood.

"Your room?" Lloyd questioned cautiously.

Why were they going into Kratos's bedroom? Kratos twisted the doorknob and pushed open the door. He waved his hand to motion Lloyd inside.

"It's fine. Nothing is going to happen," Kratos said, realizing that Lloyd hadn't yet moved an inch.

Lloyd looked at him and then back at the open door before slowly stepping inside, where he was slightly surprised at how large the room was. The familiar scent of jasmine invaded his senses.

"Do you like jasmine?" Lloyd blurted out, having seen a vase of them near the large-sized bed.

He flushed when he realized that he would be sleeping next to Kratos and possibly doing more one day soon.

"It was Anna's favorite flower. I guess you could say it grew on me."

Lloyd turned his attention to the fireplace, which was large enough to warm the entire room in a few minutes. But what caught his attention was the painting above it. That was….

"Is this Anna?" Lloyd could hardly find his voice.

Emil had told him briefly what she looked like, but the feeble description was nothing in comparison to what he saw now. He didn't even try to match his looks with hers. In the painting, Anna was dressed in a sleeved white dress lined with fir. Her hands were positioned on her lap. Her hair was pinned up in a simple bun similar to Andreas.

"Yes," Kratos replied, his deep voice filled with longing, "that's her. I also brought you here to clear up something that you seem to be worrying about."

Lloyd turned from the painting to Kratos, who had taken a seat in the armchair next to the fireplace he'd lit. Kratos waved Lloyd forward.

Lloyd took a seat in the armchair in front of Kratos and pulled his knees up to his chest. "Worrying about what?"

"About what Yuan said earlier." Kratos shifted in his seat before settling down and crossing his legs. "I want you to disregard what he said. He, by no means, has any say in our marriage or any of my duties as a duke."

"But he's your friend isn't he?"

Kratos rested his cheek on his hand and graced Lloyd with an amused look. "Sometimes I wonder. He'll continue to give you trouble. Of that, I am sure. It would be best if you avoided him for now on."

Lloyd laid his head on his knees and closed his eyes. "I know you don't think it's that easy, do you, Kratos?" he replied softly. "Even though it would be nice, I don't want interfere with your friendship with Yuan. I understand how it feels to part from a lifelong friend."

"You'll see Genis again. Although, I'm sure he wouldn't be happy to see me."

Lloyd snorted. He had briefly remembered how upset Genis had been when he left. Lloyd wouldn't be surprised if Genis was still angry, as he could definitely hold a grudge if he wanted.

Lloyd and Kratos had drifted into a comfortable silence, the only sound being the crackling of wood from the fireplace. Lloyd wasn't used to his life being this quiet. He was used to Colette's melodious voice and her clumsiness, and Genis clinging to him everywhere they went, and Professor Raine scolding him every time he fell asleep in class. Exhausted, Lloyd buried his face into his legs.

Martel, he was homesick… he missed Iselia, but part of his heart kept him here and that part wanted him to make Kratos fall in love with him, to hear that longing in Kratos's voice when he spoke of Anna. Lloyd wouldn't give up; he would get his happy ending and make Kratos smile again, not just a smirk or grin.

A smile.

"Are you all right?" Kratos asked, cutting into Lloyd's wandering thoughts.

Lloyd lifted his head and saw that Kratos stared at him with barely concealed concern. "I'm fine. Just thinking. Yuan mentioned the Four Grand Duke Houses. Who are they?"

Kratos stood up and walked towards the small table near the bed and fished out a bottle of wine that was sitting in the bucket of ice. He uncorked the bottle and poured until the glass was half full. Then he placed the wine back into the ice and made his way back to his chair.

"The Four Grand Duke Houses," Kratos said as he sat back down, "are the most wealthy and prestigious families in all of Tethe'alla, starting with the Aurion family, since we are the oldest. We're followed by the Bryant family. Regal Bryant is head of the family, and he is also the president of the Lezareno Company, which makes everything to blades to wine. The Wilder family is third. Zelos Wilder and Sheena Fujibayashi-Wilder are the heads of the family." Kratos chuckled. "Zelos was a womanizer until he met Sheena. She embarrassed him at one of Regal's balls by turning him down. He chased after her until she agreed to be with him, but…that's another story. The final family is-"

"The Abends, right?" Lloyd guessed.

Kratos swirled his wine before taking a sip. "No," he replied. "Richter is a viscount. His mother did come from a duke family. The final family is the Lualdis."

Lloyd was surprised when he saw Kratos scowl. "Are they that bad?"

Kratos downed the rest of his wine. "Alice is," he muttered. "She maybe a duchess, but she is sadistic when she wants to be."

Lloyd briefly wondered how much Kratos was keeping to himself about Alice but then maybe it was for best that he didn't know right at the moment.

"Will I ever meet any of them?" Lloyd asked quietly.

Kratos nodded and pinned him with a intense stare. "Be wary of Alice and her husband Decus. They'll try to get anything out of you when we attend the ball in two weeks time. Alice maybe give off a kind-hearted persona but she's nothing but a viper.

Lloyd shivered on his own. "You're really making me regret going with you."

Kratos gave him an amused look. "I would let you stay home," Kratos said, twirling the empty wine glass in his hand, "but the ball will be a crash course to your own coming out ball."

"Coming out _what_?" Lloyd's outburst earned him full, blown-out laughter.

"Your coming out ball," Kratos repeated slowly. "They are usually reserved for young women such as Zelos's sister Seles, who just had hers months ago. But you and Emil are different cases."

"Will I be taking care of the arrangements and everything?"

"I will be taking care of everything. You only have the wedding to worry about."

At the mention of the wedding, Lloyd blushed. He quickly glanced at the large bed behind them. He let out a silent groan when Kratos raised an silent eyebrow at him when he the man realized what he was staring at.

"I won't force you. You do _know_ that, don't you, Lloyd?"

"Force what? Oh." Lloyd groaned and buried his face into hands to hide his deepening blush. He couldn't believe he was talking about…about _this_.

"You wouldn't think I would, do you?" Kratos asked.

Lloyd removed his hands from his face his deep red blush now only a light pink. "No! Of course not. That's what all couples do on their honeymoon or wedding night, right?"

Now, it was Kratos's turn to groan. He stood up and walked over to Lloyd, and he bent down so he could look into Lloyd's eyes.

"Lloyd," he started slowly, grabbing Lloyd's hands in his own, "has anyone told you about how things are done between a man and a woman?"

"Oh, my Martel, _stop_!" The blush had made it's way back onto Lloyd's face. He tried to get his hands out of Kratos's grip, but the grip tightened.

"Have they?" Kratos persisted.

"Yes!" Lloyd replied, finally giving up on trying to get his hands back. "B-but not between a man and a…another man."

"So you're a virgin?" Kratos continued.

Lloyd gasped and he glared at the man kneeled before him. "Of course I'm a virgin! I'm only eighteen!"

Kratos smirked at him, and Lloyd swore that Kratos's normally bright ruby eyes darkened to blood red.

"I wasn't," Kratos purred.

Lloyd instantly tensed, Kratos must've realized his mistake and slowly released his hands.

"Listen to me," Kratos said firmly. "I'm not going to rush you into sex. This shouldn't even be said or on our minds at this point. One step at a time, all right?"

"A-all right…"

Kratos patted Lloyd's knee and stood up to go back to his chair. Lloyd was glad for the distance.

"So what now?" he asked quietly.

Kratos sighed. "Andrea should have dinner ready by now." He waved a hand towards his bed. "If you're not in the mood for dinner- which I doubt- you could take a bath and head to bed."

Lloyd slowly slid out of the chair and stretched, ignoring Kratos's slightly obvious stare. "What are you going to do?"

"I still have some paperwork to take care which should've been done by now, if not for Yuan."

Lloyd smiled at Kratos's frown. Kratos was grumpy for a twenty-eight year old…_I mean, a four-thousand twenty-eight_ _year old. _Lloyd shook his head when that butler's words came rushing back. It couldn't be true, could it? Kratos, an angel?

A descendant of angel, he could understand. There were also descendants of Martel running around in Sylverant and Tethe'alla, but no actual angels, those of Martel's servants who survived. He rubbed his head. Lloyd felt a headache stir from thinking too hard…

"I think I'll just head to bed Kratos," he said quietly.

Lloyd stepped forward and hugged Kratos. Kratos tensed in his arms from surprise would be the most logical reason, he felt strong arms wrap around his waist and pull him forward he felt the hard muscles under Kratos clothing before he pulled away.

"Good night."

"'Night"

After running downstairs and tell Andrea that they wouldn't be having dinner tonight and having to withstand her scolding about missing dinner, Lloyd rushed through a bath and dressed in blue and black pajamas. He slid under the warm covers and let his mind digest what had happened today. As much as he tried, he couldn't get his mind off Kratos and the possibility that he could be an angel.

_Well… as long as he doesn't sprout wings suddenly, then those rumors are wrong, _he thought as he turned on his back and stared up at the canopy of his bed.

"Maybe I should ask him?" he wondered out loud as he felt his eyelids grow heavy. Lloyd finally let sleep overtake him with Kratos still clouding his thoughts.

* * *

Valkyria : Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter just as much as I enjoyed writing it! Kratos and Lloyd are getting closer...somewhat. anyway

Griever : Review!


	8. Chapter 8

Valkyria : Hello Everyone! Here's Chapter Eight

Griever : We know you guys like this story so...like Drop a review seriously!

Valkyria : We have no ownership over Tales of Symphonia.

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"_Those dancing and etiquette lessons were a pain, but in the end they were worth it. It was then that I was introduced to Marta Lualdi with two weeks left until Duchess Lualdi's ball. I was happy that I was even able to learn __**one **__dance…" _

_-Lloyd Irving-Aurion _

Chapter Eight : Time of Elegance

Sitting in a chair that was close to the center of Kratos's ballroom, Lloyd watched anxiously as Emil and Marta swept across the dance floor effortlessly, making the waltz they were performing look painstakingly easy.

But Lloyd wasn't fooled. He knew it would be no easier for him than it was for Emil and knowing that made him feel slightly better. As the dance in front of him continued, Lloyd let his thoughts shift onto Kratos, who he had not seen since last night. That made him worried even though he knew Kratos was always busy. Lloyd had noticed Kratos had always had breakfast and dinner with him even when he could've easily had a servant bring it to his office while he continued his paperwork.

Lloyd would admit that he had missed Kratos's quiet presence this morning, and he hoped that the conversation last night didn't cause Kratos to avoid him. His stomach dropped. He could only imagine how Kratos felt when he had to have a brief sex talk with his fiancé mere months before the actual wedding.

Shaking his head, Lloyd let last night's conversation fade into the back of his mind and concentrated on the angel rumor that was still floating around in the household and mostly Meltokio. Several questions popped into his mind. Who started the rumor? Why would they want to start it? Whoever it was most likely wanted to start trouble for Kratos. There was no actual proof that Kratos was an angel, but the urge to ask the man was strong. Lloyd knew that Kratos was most likely still asked the question every time he went on a business trip or a ball and if _he_ asked, Kratos would want to know where he heard it from and as much as he didn't like some of the servants here he didn't want to rat them out and make them lose their jobs.

"You haven't been paying attention at all, have you, Lloyd?" Emil asked, snapping him out of his thoughts.

Lloyd looked up to find Marta and Emil staring at him patiently. He stood up from the chair and stretched his limbs before throwing the other two an apologetic smile.

"I'm sorry. I just have a lot on my mind. I really appreciate you doing this for me."

Lloyd flinched when Emil frowned at him and crossed his arms. "Is this about the other night?"

Lloyd sighed heavily before glancing at Marta from the corner of his eye. Even though she seemed like a polite woman, he didn't want to discuss what happened the other night and what was on his mind now in front her.

Emil caught his gaze and nodded in understanding before turning to Marta with a gentle smile.

"Marta? Would you excuse Lloyd and I? We have something private to discuss."

Lloyd turned away when he saw Marta give him a suspicious stare, before nodding her head and leaving the ballroom. Then once the double doors slammed shut, Lloyd wasn't surprised when Emil immediately started his interrogation.

"So?" Emil demanded. "Is your distraction about last night or-"

Lloyd laid his hands on Emil's smaller shoulders. "I know this may be a ridiculous question but…" Lloyd took a deep breath before continuing, "is Kratos Aurion an angel?"

The last thing Lloyd was expecting from Emil was complete silence. He expected Emil to laugh it off and reassure him that it was just a silly rumor, but his hands fell back to his sides when Emil stepped back from him.

"Where did you hear this from?" Emil asked lightly.

Lloyd immediately tensed after the words left Emil's lips. "I just overheard it when I walked by the kitchens one day." Lloyd partly lied, leaving out the part that he knew the servants who were talking about it.

Emil raised an eyebrow at his response and Lloyd desperately hoped that Emil believed his lie. He was relieved when the other smiled at him and saw the glow return back to Emil's light green eyes.

"To be honest, I don't know if Kratos is an angel or not. Those rumors have been spreading around for years. I thought they'd be gone by now."

Lloyd felt part of his heart break at the reply because deep down he felt like Emil was lying to him.

* * *

Kratos didn't bother looking up from his paperwork as the door to his office creaked open. There was only person who never bother to knock.

"I thought you would've gone back to Asgard," he spoke up as Yuan sat down in one of the chairs in front of his desk.

"There were a few things that I needed to take care of."

Kratos looked up, showing his skepticism. "Oh, really?" he drawled before setting his pen down. "What things did you need to take care of?"

Yuan shifted in his seat before settling again. "I had to report to the King, for one, and I visited Aster and Richter at the Research Academy."

Kratos picked up his pen and continued working, the scratching of his pen the only sound in the room before Kratos spoke up again.

"I meant what I said the other day, Yuan." Signing his signature on the paper, he moved it aside and started fresh. "And before you start…no, I am not marrying Lloyd just out of obligation."

He didn't bother looking up when he heard Yuan's frustrated growl. If anything he was getting amused by how hard his friend was trying.

"Have you told him your little _secret, _Kratos?" Yuan purred darkly.

Kratos clenched his pen tighter before he felt the ink sink though his white glove. Muttering a curse, he retrieved his handkerchief from his breast pocket and removed his gloves.

"No, I haven't told him my so-called _secret." _Throwing the ruined gloves in the trash beside him, he wiped his hands and the desk.

"You're going to have to tell him sooner or later," Yuan chided.

Kratos grimaced at the ink-stained desk, despairing at the thought of having to redo the paperwork.

Yuan continued relentlessly. "What is he going to think if his husband starts sprouting wings of light?"

"I'll take care of it," Kratos grunted. "If anything, those damn rumors are still circulating no thanks to Pronyma."

Yuan scowled. "Speaking of the wench what are you going to about her?" Kratos raised an eyebrow at the venom he heard in Yuan's voice.

"It wouldn't be beneficial to me or to Lloyd if I were to confront her about it," he smirked, "and I am backed by Duke Bryant. You know how influential he is to Tethe'alla. If he doesn't believe her, then who will?"

"What's this?" Yuan whispered excitedly. "Is my old friend finally deciding to show Meltokio his manipulative side?"

Kratos allowed a satisfied smirk to show his amusement, his paperwork forgotten for the time being. It felt good to talk to Yuan like this again despite the man's stubborn streak and the continual disagreement about Kratos's engagement.

"I want you to get along with Lloyd from now on." As Kratos expected, the smile slid off Yuan's face only to be replaced with a fierce scowl.

"That boy is nothing but trouble, Kratos!" Yuan spat. "He has the mannerisms of a country bumpkin-"

"Enough with the insults." Kratos shook his head, disappointed in his friend. "He's done nothing to you. Can't you at least be civil towards him? And I don't mean the cold politeness you show Zelos."

Yuan released a heavy sigh. "If it will keep our friendship on at least stable ground then yes, I can be civil towards him."

For once in his life, Kratos failed to keep a smile off his face. He was deeply humbled that his old friend would do something like this.

"What are you smiling for?" Yuan snapped, standing from the chair and straightening his clothing. "I'll take my leave now. I must be back in Asgard by nightfall."

Kratos stood, his old leather chair squeaking in protest, and he slowly made his way to Yuan. Once he was close enough, he laid his hand firmly on the other man's shoulder.

"I thank you for doing this, Yuan. Your friendship means a lot to me-"

Yuan snorted. "I told you I would be civil with him. Expect no more and no less."

Kratos watched wearily as Yuan swiftly walked towards the door. "Take care, my friend," he called towards Yuan's back.

Yuan turned back around and gave him a smirk. "Shouldn't I be telling _you_ that? I'll pray to Martel to watch over you and your health for all the grief that Lloyd will cause you in the near future."

Kratos scowled as the door clicked shut. He knew it wouldn't be the last time they had an argument over something, but did Yuan have to the last word more often than he did? He turned back to his ink-stained desk and sighed. At least some of the paperwork made it out okay. Richter could wait another day. They weren't going to travel to the World Tree until after Alice's ball.

Kratos leaned against the desk. He didn't want to tell Yuan, but he was worried about Lloyd finding out his status as an angel. He wouldn't put it past his staff to gossip about it, but he knew that Andrea would keep her mouth shut so that made the burden a little lighter to bear.

He was snapped out of his thoughts when he heard someone knocking. How many distractions was in for today?

"Enter," he called out.

Kratos watched curiously as Lloyd stuck in his head and looked around before warm brown eyes met his. He waved in Lloyd and watched as he hesitantly walked towards him.

"What's the matter?" he asked quietly. Lloyd shook his head before settling himself in one of the seats.

"Can I…ask you something?"

Kratos frowned at the shaky tone. He briefly wondered if Lloyd had run into Yuan on the way here.

"Yes what is it?" Kratos raised an eyebrow when the blush blossomed on Lloyd's features, but said nothing of it.

"Did I do anything last night to upset you?" At this point Lloyd's whole face was a nice shade of red. "You weren't at breakfast this morning-"

"I apologize." Kratos cut in quickly. "I am behind on my paperwork for the Research Academy and had my breakfast in here and no, you didn't do anything to upset me."

"What happened to your desk?" Lloyd asked, pointing. "It's covered in ink."

"Just an accident." Kratos did not remove his gaze from Lloyd. "My anger got the best of me, I'm afraid." He watched Lloyd's eyes widen at the statement and quickly set out to reassure him.

"Yuan took it upon himself to visit me just moments ago. He has agreed to be civil with you from now on and I hope I can get _your_ cooperation with this…?"

Lloyd snorted bitterly. "Kratos, what makes you think that as soon as you turn your back on us he'll turn from being _civil _to nothing but a condescending bastard to me?"

"I'm positive that the both of you can act civil towards each other, even with my back turned." Kratos walked back to his chair and sat down. "How were the dancing lessons?" Maybe a different subject would get the Lloyd's mind off whatever he was thinking.

"T-they were okay. There was also something else I wanted to ask you."

"Yes? What is it?"

"Well I…" Kratos watched as Lloyd stood up suddenly, his face pale, and Kratos leaned forward concerned with how shaky and uncomfortable Lloyd had gotten.

"Lloyd?" he asked softly. "What's gotten you so upset?"

"It's nothing! I-"

"Tell me," he interrupted gently. "Does this have anything to do with certain rumors you've heard recently?" Kratos knew he hit the nail on the head when Lloyd dropped back into the chair.

"How did you…are they true?"

Kratos remained silent, staring into Lloyd's now fearful brown eyes. He knew his silence to the young man's question was answer enough. He held up his hand when Lloyd opened his mouth again.

"I think," he began, "that this isn't the best time to discuss this issue. We'll wait until tonight after dinner. That should give you enough time to calm down."

"I'm not-!"

"Lloyd, you're as a pale as a ghost, you're jumpy and I bet you're just sitting there running on pure adrenaline alone."

"I just wanna ask one more question and I'll go. Please?"

"_Yes." _

"Can I see your wings?"

That was one of the questions Kratos wasn't expecting. He honestly thought the young man would demand why Kratos hid his angel status from him or how many people knew.

But to see his wings? Kratos chuckled, he should've learned by now to expect the unexpected from his soon-to-be husband.

"Yes," he replied. "I'll let you see them tonight."

Lloyd grinned. "What color are they? Are they like bird wings?"

"I thought you said that was the last question?" Lloyd pouted, but Kratos had to firmly tell himself that he would not be moved by those adorable lips. _Adorable? Since when did he start thinking that Lloyd was adorable? _

"Go back to Emil and finish what ever lessons you have left."

"But Kratos-!"

"Now, Lloyd." It was finality in his voice that finally got Lloyd to quickly remove himself from his office.

Lloyd turned at the door. "Does Emil know about this as well? Because he got really quiet when I asked him about it."

Kratos frowned. "He is aware of it. Is that why you're not with him now?"

"Partly so."

"I assume the other part is you didn't pay attention to the lessons?"

"Well, if you want it put it that way…"

"I'll see you at dinner tonight. And Lloyd?"

"Yes?"

"Why don't you visit the library before dinner for some knowledge on a particular subject and we'll get that problem out of the way."

Kratos would honestly admit seeing Lloyd turning an interesting shade of red and run out of his office as if he was being chased by a monster was the best part of his day.

End Chapter Eight


	9. Chapter 9

Valkyria : Apologies for the wait! Here's Chapter Nine! Hope you enjoy

Griever : We hold no ownership to Tales of Symphonia.

* * *

"_Looking back at it now, I shouldn't have pressed so hard to find out whether or not Kratos was an Angel, but my curiosity overwhelmed me. I felt a lot closer to Kratos after that night, but I didn't realize at the time that as I began to unveil his secrets, I was slowly but surely bringing Meltokio's corruption to light." _

_-Lloyd Irving-Aurion _

Chapter Nine: Pleasant Intrigue.

Lloyd's face burned with embarrassment entirely throughout dinner as Kratos' words still rang in ears. It seemed that Kratos had enjoyed teasing him and judging from the sly smirk he wore through dinner, he was still amused.

He welcomed the familiar scent of jasmine as he trailed Kratos into his room. Andrea had all but shoved them out after dessert, stating that she didn't feel like putting up with their tension on such a peaceful night. Lloyd quickly corrected her by denying that there was tension.

Lloyd could've sworn that throughout the entire conversation, Kratos barely restrained himself from laughing out loud.

Situating in the same seat he sat in the other night, Lloyd watched as Kratos removed his black coat, revealing a dark green silk shirt that showed off his broad shoulders well. Lloyd groaned quietly as he felt that familiar heat resurface on his face.

What was wrong with him? He came in here to have a serious discussion about Kratos being an angel. Nothing more, nothing less.

"Are you all right?" Kratos drawled teasingly, easing into the armchair across from him. "You're flushed. You're not running a fever, are you?"

Lloyd grunted and placed his hand on his cheek. "I'm fine," he bit out. "Can we concentrate on you now?"

"Of course," Kratos replied. "I'll admit that I'm surprised that you're not angry that I hid this from you."

Lloyd shrugged. "I'm sure you had a perfectly good reason for hiding it. I just wish I had found out differently." He wasn't lying. He _had_ wished Kratos told him upfront about this instead of having to corner him about it.

Kratos lips curved into a suspicious smile. "You never did tell me who you heard it from. Would you mind divulging that to me now?"

Lloyd coughed out a nervous laugh. That was one question he didn't want to answer. "Um, I just overheard it is all."

Kratos narrowed his eyes. "Yes, I know you overheard it. If you hadn't, we wouldn't be sitting here discussing it. That's not what I asked."

Lloyd shivered under Kratos' intense stare, those eyes seemingly staring into his soul. "I was walking near the kitchens one day," he slowly confessed, " and that's when I heard it."

Kratos' red eyes darkened a shade, making him look even more deadly than usual. "You didn't see who was talking about it?"

"I didn't see them," Lloyd blurted out. He nearly cried when Kratos' gaze didn't falter. Was he really that easy to read?

"Honestly!" he squeaked, waving his hands. "I didn't see who it was that was talking about it. Can we please move on now?"

Kratos grunted. "Very well. What do you wish to know?"

"Who started those rumors? I mean, I can come up with something more damaging than going around and whispering that you're an angel…"

"No, that's one of the worst things you can do," Kratos pointed out bluntly. "By stating that I'm an angel could forever ruin my name, and the Pope would accuse me that I was hiding the blessing of Martel from the people and the King."

Lloyd flinched at the harsh tone. He was beginning to realize what risks Kratos took in accepting this marriage. Yuan happily put in a few words the other day…

"But to answer your question," Kratos continued, "her name is Pronyma. She is one of the cardinals of the Desian faction."

"Desian faction." Lloyd narrowed his eyes. "The name sounds familiar…aren't they those radicals that go around protesting against aristocracy?"

"Yes, their organization has grown over these last two years. They are also against the Church of Martel, but since they haven't caused any damage the King has allowed them to stay."

Lloyd raised an eyebrow. "Haven't caused any damage?" He knew his tone bordered on hysterical, but couldn't avoid it. "Kratos, they're ruining your name! How can you sit there and say that so calmly?"

Kratos smiled bitterly. "I've been dealing with this for two years, Lloyd. Believe me when I say it barely affects-"

"No!" Lloyd interrupted. "It should still bother you! Reputation be damned! Why can't you go up to Pronyma and-"

"I've already settled it with the Pope," Kratos cut in smoothly. "If I have the Pope backing me, along with the other houses, then the Desian faction's words would be just that. Words."

Lloyd let out a long breath to calm down. No matter what happened in the future, he still couldn't possibly understand how nobles took care of things so rationally even when they had everything at stake.

"So as long as certain people are backing you then you won't be ousted?"

Kratos expression cooled. "I have everything taken care of, so you need not worry."

"It'll be my job to worry pretty soon. One of my main goals is to be able to read that blank face of yours."

Kratos lips twitched at that. "We'll see," he murmured. "Let's get back to the subject at hand, shall we?"

"Okay." Lloyd could recognize an order when heard one. "You promised me you'd showed them to me."

"Show you what?"

Lloyd scowled at the mock confusion he heard in Kratos' voice. "Your wings. Don't act so innocent. It doesn't suit you one bit."

"My apologies." Kratos' mouth had that mischievous smirk that showed amusement.

The most obvious thing Lloyd expected as he watched Kratos stand was two large feathered wings to sprout from his back, like the ones Lloyd had seen in textbooks. He was taken off guard when small particles of blue light gathered around Kratos' back. They reminded him of the fireflies in Iselia at night time.

An eternity passed, as he watched the light particles grow in intensity, so intense that Lloyd was forced to covered his eyes when the light became too unbearable.

"You can look now, Lloyd." Kratos' voice came several seconds later. Lloyd lowered his arms and let a smile pull at his lips at the sight before him.

Kratos' wings weren't made out of feathers like a bird's, but were made entirely out of mana. Instead several small feathers, the wings had a few large ones shaped like flames frozen in time. If anything, they made Kratos look even more handsome than before. Lloyd knew that Kratos had to hide them to keep his family's name safe, but he certainly hoped that Kratos was proud of who he really was.

Lloyd waved him over. "Come closer."

When Kratos was close enough, Lloyd reached forward and let his hand slide across one of the flame-shaped feathers. They were a light blue color and felt slightly warm against his skin. He pretended he didn't notice when Kratos shivered at the touch. Kratos must've felt somewhat vulnerable.

Lloyd pulled away when he was satisfied, and he looked at Kratos' closed off face,he felt his heart ache a little at the sight of it. He touched Kratos' cheek forcing him to lock his gaze.

"Thank you," he whispered, caressing Kratos' cheek, "for sharing this with me." Unexpectedly Kratos leaned forward into Lloyd's hand and closed his eyes.

"You're welcome."

_

* * *

_

Over the next few days, Lloyd had successfully cleared up the tension between himself and Emil, and he felt they were both grateful for it, seeing as neither wanted to lose to the new friendship between them.

The dancing lessons, on the other hand, had not been going so well. Lloyd discovered that he was indeed a terrible dancer, and Emil bluntly told Kratos that there was no way Lloyd's dancing would be ready by two weeks. He had told both of them that he was just fine with standing by the buffet table and eating his fill until the ball was over and done with.

"I'm sure you would enjoy doing just that, wouldn't you?" Kratos said. Lloyd didn't welcome the sarcasm in his voice.

"Well, what do you want me to do?" Lloyd snapped, wriggling his socked feet towards Emil and Kratos. "I have two left feet!"

"Lady Lualdi was no help at all?" Kratos asked Emil.

"None at all, she called Lloyd a 'hopeless case with no salvation in sight'."

Lloyd snorted and reached for another sandwich. "I'm sitting right here, you know?" Honestly, Kratos and Emil had absolutely no faith in him at all, and it wasn't like dancing was on top of his list of things to do back when he was in Iselia.

"Well," Emil chirped, "at least he has his table manners down, he may have 'two left feet' but his memory is pretty good."

"Once again," Lloyd growled, "I'm sitting right here!"

Kratos had the gall to laugh at him, and if anything, that made Lloyd even more upset. "We're well aware that you're sitting right there, Lloyd, so no need to repeat yourself."

Lloyd bit his lips hard. It seemed that tender moment between them the other night didn't affect Kratos as much as it did him…if the man's merciless teasing was anything to go by.

"Whatever," he finally muttered. If Kratos wasn't going to change his attitude towards him in front of others, than neither would he.

"Um, maybe I should come back at a later time?" Emil gave both of them a worried look. "We have five more days to get this down."

Lloyd and Kratos held each others' gazes for a long moment before Lloyd directed his gaze to Emil. "No. No need to go, Emil. Whatever problem I have with Kratos will be solved privately."

"Very well," Emil said with hesitance clear in his voice. "Now I…."

Lloyd effectively tuned Emil and Kratos out. He hadn't meant to lash out like that, but it hurt when the older man acted like nothing had happened when he arrived at breakfast this morning. Kratos had given no tender smile or grins, just a cold nod of the head and an even colder good morning.

Sighing, he shifted his weight on the couch before turning his gaze towards the window of the drawing room. Lloyd was relieved that the snow was slowly, but surely, melting. It meant that he could start planning that damned wedding of his.

Visiting Iselia and finding more information about the Desian faction was on the top of his list, and he couldn't wait to see Colette and Genis again. Plus confronting Pronyma would be too sweet for words.

"…winter solstice festival." Lloyd turned his attention back to Emil and Kratos, who hadn't -thankfully- noticed that he had drifted off.

"Winter Solstice festival?" he cut in. "You told me about that when we were on our way here, Kratos. Where is it held?"

"All over the city," Kratos replied. "For those four days we give our thanks to Goddess Martel and welcome spring."

"You've never celebrated it, Lloyd?" Emil asked curiously. "We did all the time in Palmacosta."

Lloyd reached for another sandwich -ignoring Kratos' somewhat disgusted look- when he shoved the whole thing into his mouth.

"Not really," he answered after swallowing. "It was more of a small celebration if anything at all, and most of the villagers went off to see their families during that time."

"Kratos will have to show you around then!" Emil turned towards the Duke. "Are you going to Flanior again?"

Lloyd quietly snorted. It figured Kratos would want to get away from the crowds for the entire time. It seemed right up Kratos' alley, actually.

"I'll stay in Meltokio this year." Lloyd covered his mouth to hide the excited grin. "I'm sure Lloyd would enjoy the sights of the festival."

Lloyd neutralized his grin when Kratos turned towards him expectantly. "I would love that," he put in, "but why do you go to Flanior every year?"

His question was met with a tense silence, and Lloyd realized he must've stepped on Kratos' toes again. Briefly, he wondered how often that was going to happen.

"I go to visit Anna," Kratos replied solemnly. "She loved the Winter Solstice festival very much."

"Oh…" Lloyd rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "I'm sorry." He felt guilty for his earlier thoughts about Kratos wanting to get away mainly to avoid the crowds.

"No need for apologies," Kratos told him gently. "You didn't know."

"Hey!" Lloyd piped up after a long pause between the three of them. "Why don't we go to Flanior after the first day of the festival?"

Lloyd didn't want to take away Kratos' tradition of visiting Anna every year, and he wanted to be beside Kratos this year when he went.

"If you are sure…?" Kratos asked hesitantly. "It'll take at least a day to travel from here to Flanior and by the time we get back, the festival will be nearly over."

Lloyd smiled. "It's fine, really! Emil can tell me all about it and I'll get to enjoy one day of it, so that's good enough for me."

"Thank you, Lloyd, and in return I'll show you around Flanior."

Lloyd could only nod his head. Going with Kratos and supporting him was the least he could do for the stunts he was going to pull during the next few weeks.

End Chapter Nine.


	10. Chapter 10

_"Lady Lualdi's ball was very…eventful? Thinking back on it now, eventful was a tame word to describe that night's events."_

_- -Lloyd Irving-Aurion._

Chapter Ten : Dancing in the Sunshine

Lloyd had to constantly tell himself to relax as Kratos spun him around the dance floor with little to no effort. Duchess Lualdi's ball was a few hours away and Emil had told Kratos to practice a few dances with Lloyd. Kratos agreed and stated that he wanted to see Lloyd's progress for himself.

He wanted to throttle Emil for putting him in such a situation. Emil had waved them off earlier with a sly smile on his delicate features, stating that he had to run home and drag Richter out of his office to get ready, which usually took an hour to do so.

"Concentrate, Lloyd," Kratos chided softly. The sudden stop in their movements caused Lloyd to snap out of his thoughts. "You don't want to fall flat on your face in front of everyone, do you?"

"No," Lloyd muttered, feeling his face turn a nice shade of red at the scolding he received. "I'm sure the others would love to see that, though."

"Duchess Lualdi, yes," Kratos admitted, "but no one else is as wicked as her and her husband Decus. I'm sure you'll love being in everyone else's company though."

Lloyd dropped his one hand off Kratos' shoulder and pulled the other out of a tight grip. "How do you know that? It's just like with Yuan!"

He turned his back to Kratos and crossed his arms over his chest. He knew shouldn't be pulling such a fit only hours away from the ball, but he couldn't help but be worried.

"Listen," Kratos told him with a sigh, laying his hands on Lloyd's shoulders. "Nothing like that is going to happen. You'll be treated fairly and with respect just like everyone else. I'll make sure of it, all right?"

Lloyd glanced at Kratos over his shoulder before slowly nodding his head. He turned back around and resumed the proper poise for dancing.

"One more dance," Lloyd insisted with a warm smile, feeling heat rush to his face when Kratos caressed his hand longer than necessary before taking it in a firm grip.

"One more dance," Kratos repeated with a sultry smile.

"Stop tugging it! You look fine!" Andrea snapped, slapping away his hand. She proceeded to drape a warm red cloak over his shoulders to complete his outfit for the night.

He tugged again at the cream collar. "This outfit is suffocating, Andrea!" He pulled his hand away just before Andrea could slap it away again.

"I can see now," Andrea started, brushing the wrinkles out of the cloak, "that we're going have to go through this every single time there's an event until you can put together your own outfits!"

Lloyd frowned at the reminder. Kratos had picked out his clothes earlier before handing him over to Andrea and stating that she was to have Lloyd ready at a reasonable time. Andrea happily dragged Lloyd back to his room, ordering him to bathe quickly. Afterwards, she proceeded to dress him up.

He felt like a child, having someone dress him like this, and looking into the mirror, he would admit that Kratos had good taste in clothing. Kratos had chosen a mixture of cream, black, and red and a pair of comfortable boots that gave Lloyd a few inches-which he had thought he didn't exactly need…

"Arms down," Andrea chided softly. The mirror reflected her smile and her warm green eyes that shone with pride. "Now don't you look like the lord you're going to be in just weeks!"

Lloyd returned the smile weakly, his stomach knotting. This would be the first time he was going to be around a mansion full of nobles, who would keep sharp eyes on him the entire night, whispering about him behind his back.

That did wonders for his self-confidence.

"No frowning now," Andrea scolded, taking hold of his shoulders and guiding him out of the room. "Those nobles are going to be looking for any flaw they can find and will use it to rip you to shreds, the ravenous wolves that they are! So you, Lord Irving, keep your chin up like I know Dirk taught you!"

Lloyd chuckled, before turning to wrap his arms around her briefly. "I will Andrea, and thank you for helping tonight. I'm sorry that I was so much trouble."

Andrea reached over and fixed his hair, and Lloyd relaxed under her gentle hands. "It's fine, now you go and have yourself a good time and remember Lloyd, keep your chin up!"

Giving Andrea one last wave, Lloyd walked downstairs, blushing part of the way when some of the servants he passed commented on how good he looked. He reached the foyer and found Kratos waiting for him patiently near the double doors. When his eyes met Kratos', he felt weak at the knees and quickly grabbed the banister to steady himself. No words could describe how good Kratos looked in his chosen state of dress. He was used to seeing Kratos in just in a simple jacket and trousers, but Kratos clearly outdid himself tonight.

That or his lovesick mind was taking the matter out of proportions.

"You," Lloyd swallowed, his grip tightening on the banister, "you look nice tonight, Kratos."

The black cloak that Kratos donned for protection against the cold made his shoulders look even broader than usual. Black trousers and boots covered his legs, and as Lloyd gazed continued upward, he noticed that Kratos had taken a liking to black and silver for his tunic. All in all, he wouldn't be surprised if Kratos was the best-looking man there tonight.

Kratos raised an eyebrow. "Thank you. You look nice as well. Shall we leave now? Or are you not finished staring at me like a hungry wolf?"

"We can leave." Lloyd stomped down the stairs and making more noise than necessary, he paused at the now open double doors and glared at Kratos. "And for your information, I was not 'staring at you like a hungry wolf,' as you so kindly put it."

He pretended not to hear Kratos' laugh as he made his way to the carriage, with Tristan waiting holding open the door.

"Thank you, Tristan."

Tristan smiled broadly. "You're very welcome, Lord Irving. Have a pleasant evening."

Lloyd climbed in with Kratos trailing close behind. Once the door was closed and locked, Lloyd felt the carriage move forward.

"Is there anything I'm supposed to say once we arrive?" Lloyd asked, placing most of his cloak in his lap.

"Just a thank you will suffice," Kratos explained. "I'll introduce you to the heads of the other three houses a little later on."

"You'll dance with me, right?" Lloyd asked with excitement laced in his voice. He wanted to show off Kratos and make some of the noblewomen jealous, but he would never say such a thing to the man sitting in front of him.

Kratos crossed his arms and gave him a suspicious look. "You've never seemed so eager to dance before. What are you plotting?"

"I'm not plotting anything!" Lloyd protested with a pout. "Is it so wrong for me to ask my fiancé to dance with me? I mean, I'm sure a lot of the young noblewomen will be asking you to dance the entire night."

"That innocent act you're trying so hard to pull off doesn't reassure me in the least," Kratos said sarcastically.

Lloyd snorted and shifted in his seat. "You have so little faith in me, Kratos." He shyly smiled at Kratos, only to frown less than a second later when he saw Kratos' expression remain the same.

He really had to do something about that sour expression Kratos was so fond of putting on.

"Look," he started, "I'm not going to do anything damaging, okay? I want to have fun with Emil and Richter, if they aren't too busy themselves."

"Richter and Aster are usually locked in discussion about their research throughout any event, so chances are you'll get a few dances in with Emil if you wish."

Lloyd frowned at that. It didn't seem very fun for Emil to sit on the sidelines the entire night and watch Richter and Aster discuss something he wasn't exactly interested in. he would make sure that his new friend had fun tonight.

They stopped earlier than Lloyd thought they would. He peaked behind the curtain and found that they were almost at the end of a long line of carriages with most of the nobles stepping out and walking to the entrance.

Hearing door open, Lloyd turned and found Kratos stepping out already. He slowly crawled out after Kratos and closed the door behind them.

"It would take too long for us to stop at the entrance one at a time," Kratos said as they walked along several nobles.

"That makes sense, I guess." Lloyd rubbed his hands to warm them up, even though he had on gloves they were for the outfit more than to fight against the cold.

They walked part of the way in a comfortable silence, with the exception of Kratos stopping once every few minutes for a polite hello to a passing noble. Lloyd stopped when he spotted Emil and Richter near the large fountain. He would've immediately run over to say hello if not for the amusing situation before him.

Emil had a brush, of all things, in his hands and was running it through Richter's long red hair. Emil's expression was a mixture of displeasure and amusement. Richter sat on the edge of the fountain with his glasses in his hand, patiently waiting for Emil to finish, and] it seemed they didn't mind the disdained looks they received from other party attendants.

Lloyd walked over to the couple before Kratos could protest and smiled when Emil's eyes lit up at the sight of him.

"You look great, Lloyd!" Emil told him once he was within earshot. Lloyd barely recognized Emil in his state of dress. Emil was draped in colors of pale blue and white, while Richter was dressed in dark purple and black.

"Were you two running late or something?" he asked, seeing the ribbon in Richter's hand. Emil frowned at Richter and started to brush his husband's hair again.

"We wouldn't have been late," Emil said, tugging Richter's hair on purpose, "if this one here would've just put down his paperwork and got dressed like I asked him to." Emil continued with a huff, "One difference between your husband-to-be and mine, Lloyd, is that Kratos has a clean record for being on time for everything."

Lloyd didn't reply to that, as it seemed true. Kratos was always perfect in everything he did, which was in Lloyd's opinion, somewhat creepy at times.

"Why do we have to attend anyway?" Richter snapped, as Emily pulled his hair back again. "Alice doesn't even like us! She's a sadistic little- -"

"Richter!" Emil hissed angrily, grabbing the ribbon and quickly tying Richter's hair into a low ponytail. "Because she invited us, _that's_ why. You're so difficult at the worst times."

"And you nag at the worst time," Richter countered ruthlessly. Lloyd nervously glanced at Emil then Richter, he never seen the couple so irate towards each other before. It was disconcerting to witness.

Feeling a strong hand on his shoulder, Lloyd turned to find Kratos staring at him with his usual blank expression.

"Come," Kratos told him firmly, "we're going to be late if we don't leave now. Would you like to walk with us, Richter, Emil?"

"We'd love to," Emil replied, any traces of anger long gone from his face. "Coming, Richter?"

Richter slid his glasses back into place before standing and dusting off his clothing. He held his arm out for Emil, muttering an apology to his husband.

Lloyd watched as Emil grabbed Richter's strong arm, silently accepting Richter's low apology, before turning towards him with a blinding smile.

"Well!" Emil spoke brightly. "Shall we go?"

The rest of the way to the mansion was filled with Lloyd's and Emil's chatter with Kratos and Richter walking silently beside them. When they reached the entrance, a petite woman greeted the party wore a beautiful white strapless dress with fur lining the hem around her shoulders.

"Is that her?" Lloyd asked Kratos as they moved forward in line.

"That's her." Richter spoke up before Kratos could. "Lady Alice Lualdi. Though it's strange for her to be greeting guests instead of Decus. She must want to meet you, Lloyd."

Lloyd gave Richter a wide-eyed stare and pointed to his chest. "Me? Why does she want to meet me of all…" Suddenly he turned to Emil, who only offered a sympathetic smile. It all came back rushing back to him like a tidal wave.

In all the preparation for the ball, he had briefly forgotten the rumors that Emil told him about about he was Kratos mysterious fiancé' that no one had seen and most likely to ruin Kratos' reputation. Lloyd groaned out loud. He wondered if this night was going to keep going smoothly like it was or turn into pure hell.

"Do not stress out about it," Kratos told him quietly, as they were a few feet away from Alice at this point.

Kratos' firm grip on his shoulder was the only thing stopping him from running back to the carriage and going back home. Lloyd sighed heavily and watched as the two couples before him went in. Then he was staring into the amber eyes of the hostess.

"Duke Aurion! Viscount Abend and Emil! What a pleasure to see you here!" Lloyd winced at Alice's high-pitched voice and smiled weakly when she turned her gaze to him. "Oh? And who might you be?"

"Lloyd Irving of Iselia and Duke Aurion's fiancé'. It's a pleasure to meet you, Duchess Lualdi and thank you for inviting us."

Alice stared at him from head to toe before smiling brightly and waving them inside. "The pleasure is all mine, Sir Irving! Please enjoy yourselves tonight."

They stepped inside and at once, Lloyd felt the penetrating stares of dozens of party attendants. Instead of keeping his head down like he wanted, Lloyd raised his chin and managed to catch a few of their gazes. He felt smug when they backed down and placed their attentions elsewhere.

Duchess Lualdi's ballroom was somewhat smaller than Kratos', but much more richly decorated. Several tables were placed near the windows and on each were trays upon trays of small snacks and glasses full of wine and most likely juice. Lloyd's stomach rumbled at the sight, and he flushed when Kratos gave him a disapproving look.

"You have to dance with me for at least three sets and then I'll let Aster have you for the rest of night, Richter! For Martel's sake, I feel like I have to share you with Aster sometimes!"

Hearing this, Lloyd turned to find Emil and Richter locked in a glaring contest. He felt slightly sorry for Emil for having to put up this.

"Emil," he said, "why don't you dance a couple of dances with me, and we'll leave Richter and Kratos to themselves for a little bit?"

Lloyd didn't wait for Emil's response before rushing over and grabbing Emil's slim wrists and dragging him out onto the dance floor where several couples were already beginning a waltz.

Taking Emil's slim waist and hand, Lloyd began the complicated dance all the while staring into Emil's surprised green eyes.

"Sorry." Lloyd spoke once they were part-way done with the dance. "Kratos told me that Richter and Aster always talked about their research during times like this, and I didn't want you to be bored."

"O-oh." Emil flushed, gripping Lloyd's hand tighter in gratitude. "Thank you, Lloyd, that was very considerate of you, but what about Kratos? You practically left him in the dust…"

Lloyd allowed a small grin to pull at his lips. "Ah, he'll be fine. I have most of the night to get a few dances in with him, and he promised to introduce me to the rest of the houses."

They slowed to the stop as the music faded away. Lloyd gently released Emil's waist and hand before stepping back.

"We can dance a few more if you want?" Lloyd offered.

Emil shook his head, eyes shining with amusement. "No, I'm fine, thank you. Why don't we go over to the refreshment table and get something? We don't want your stomach talking while you're getting introduced to everyone."

Lloyd blushed bright red at that. Emil must've heard him earlier? Was he really that loud?

"Sure, why not?"

* * *

Kratos kept a sharp eye on Emil and Lloyd as they traveled over to the refreshment table, he just hoped that Lloyd wasn't going to stuff his face like he did back home, but maybe with Emil there, Lloyd would exercise some self-restraint. He turned back to the short woman in front of him and actually gave his full attention to the conversation.

"Is your sister Lady Bryant well, Presea?"

Presea Combatir was a delicate woman with pale skin and high cheekbones. To Kratos, she was an intelligent woman who could hold a conversation, unlike most noblewoman he met.

"She's fine," Presea spoke softly. "Alicia is expecting soon. A boy, from what she told me, and you, Lord Aurion? I've heard rumors about you and your mysterious fiancé as of late."

"The rumors are true," Kratos admitted, "though I have no clue as to how that got out, it would be childish to hide such a fact now."

"Word travels fast around here, Lord Aurion. I would not be surprised if one of your servants told a family member. No offense to you, of course."

Kratos released a small chuckle. "No offense taken. It would not surprise me at all, but now that he is here, the rest of the aristocracy can confirm it with their own eyes."

Presea nodded in agreement. "Yes. Would you mind introducing him to me? Or is he the brunette standing next to Lord Castagnier-Abend?"

Kratos turned back to see Lloyd talking with enthusiasm to a rather flustered Emil, all the while eating a plate full of pastries. Kratos felt his eye twitch at the sight.

"Of course," Kratos agreed reluctantly, "I'll introduce you."

Lloyd moaned in delight as he finished his fifth chocolate pastry, and oblivious to the disgusted stares he was gaining, he turned back to Emil. His friend looked rather flushed, and Lloyd raised an eyebrow at Emil's shy behavior.

"Emil?" he asked quietly.

Emil discreetly shifted his eyes. Looking around, Lloyd suddenly grinned sheepishly when he saw several disgusted gazes directed at him. The chocolate stains on his once-pristine gloves embarrassed him. Lloyd slowly put down the half-finished plate.

"Sorry, Emil," he said, shifting to hide his hands and the fact that he was taking off his gloves to place them in his pocket. Lloyd took special care in making sure they were laying flat instead of balled up.

"It's okay," Emil whispered from behind, amusement clear in his voice, "but I can't say the same for Kratos, who is on his way over here right now. I'm going to find Richter. See you later."

Lloyd spun around in time to see Emil swiftly walk away, obviously avoiding Kratos, who was doing an excellent job at keeping his anger in check. But his red eyes were a shade darker. He noticed a pale woman next to him with a blank expression, Lloyd was amused that she could pull off blankness of expression better than Kratos.

Kratos and the woman stopped before him. Unexpectedly Kratos bent forward and whispered into his ear.

"Please wipe your face, Lloyd, you have chocolate all over it."

Laughing nervously, Lloyd almost wiped off the chocolate on his face with his sleeve, but at the intense glare from Kratos, remembered his napkin at the last moment. Disaster averted. After placing the napkin on the table, he turned expectedly to Kratos.

"Lloyd, this is Presea Combatir. Presea, this is Lloyd Irving, my fiancé."

Lloyd held his hand out and winced when Presea squeezed his hand tightly. She was stronger than she looked!

"Nice to meet you, Ms. Combatir," Staring at the short woman, Lloyd was slightly unnerved at the light blue eyes that were flat and almost lifeless.

"It's a pleasure, Lord Irving." Presea turned to Kratos with a small smile. "I hope to get an invitation to your wedding, Lord Aurion?"

"Of course, Presea. We've known each other for over five years, and I do consider you a dear friend of mine."

"I'm looking forward to it."

With that parting comment, Presea walked away, leaving Lloyd with what he could guess was a slightly angry Kratos.

"I suppose I should introduce you to the heads of the other houses," Kratos said, placing his hand against the small of Lloyd's back.

Lloyd stiffened with the unexpected touch. Caught off guard that Kratos would place his hand there, he nodded in agreement.

"Lead the way."

End Chapter Ten.


	11. Chapter 11

_"With a few mistakes here and there, I thought I was doing pretty good at my first ball. I should've known that it was too good to be true."_

_- Lloyd Irving-Aurion_

**Chapter Eleven : Water Symphony**

Kratos discreetly led him away from the crowded ballroom and up one of the staircases of Duchess Lualdi's mansion. Lloyd tried to pay attention to the many left and right turns they made but eventually lost his sense of direction. He was relieved when they finally arrived to an ordinary solid wood door. When they made no move to enter, Lloyd turned to Kratos with a raised eyebrow.

"Are we going in?" Lloyd asked, curiosity coloring his voice. He was caught off guard when Kratos suddenly grabbed his shoulder and pushed him against the wall next to the door. When he looked up, his breath caught in his throat. Ruby-red eyes pierced his.

"Listen to me," Kratos started lowly. "No matter what Alice says -and she _will_ say something- don't believe her. Alice has a tendency to lie."

"Okay." Lloyd swallowed. "But you didn't have to push me against the wall to tell me that."

Kratos slowly released him and stepped back a fraction to give him space, which Lloyd was grateful for. Regardless of them getting married, Lloyd would most likely always think Kratos as an intimating man.

"Apologies." Kratos turned away and faced the door. "I just wanted to tell you that before we entered. Your face gives away everything you're thinking, Lloyd, and it would be a simple thing to tell if you believe Alice's words."

Lloyd narrowed his eyes. "Did you just call me gullible?"

Kratos lips pulled into an amused smirk, leaving Lloyd's question unanswered, and instead, reached past Lloyd to give the door three firm knocks.

"Enter," a saucy voice called almost immediately. Kratos turned the knob and let the door creak open before stepping back and allowing Lloyd to step in first.

Pulling his lips into a warm smile, Lloyd walked into the room and almost recoiled when a strange smell hit him along with the feeling of several pairs of eyes on him, like when he had first stepped into the ballroom downstairs. He raised his head and found two women and three men seated in the couches and loveseats placed around the room. Lloyd refused to lower his eyes when one of the men- -a redhead- -smirked at him.

"Good evening, everyone," Kratos said from behind him. Lloyd felt relatively confident with Kratos warm body close to him.

"Evening, Kratos!" the redhead chirped. "It's been awhile since we last spoke. You haven't bothered coming to our little parties. You've always had your head buried in paperwork or…" Lloyd tensed when the redhead leered at him suggestively. "…was it buried into something else…?"

"Zelos," Kratos murmured dangerously, and Lloyd shivered at the tone, "keep your fantasies to yourself, if you would be so kind."

Zelos raised his arms in a surrendering gesture. "Whoa, there, Duke Aurion, no need to get all pissy with me, can't blame me for trying to have a little fun with your husband-to-be can you?"

"Yes," Kratos deadpanned, "I _can_ actually."

Lloyd released a snort of laughter when Zelos' face morphed into a scowl. He quickly tried to hold his laughter in when Zelos shifted his scowl onto him.

"Play nice boys," Alice put in cheerfully. She rose from her seat, her white dress pooling around her. "Now we should introduce ourselves to our new family member!"

Lloyd shivered in revulsion of how sickeningly sweet Alice sounded. If anyone else realized how fake it sounded, no one put in his or her opinion.

"Zelos Wilder at your service!" Zelos stood and Lloyd had to admit that Zelos was breathtakingly attractive with his lightly tan skin and tall, slim-muscled frame draped in warm green.

"And this," Zelos continued with a grin, grabbing the voluptuous woman next to him and forcing her to stand next to him, "is my lovely wife Duchess Fujibayashi-Wilder."

Lloyd released a chuckle at the warm flush that graced the Duchess' face. "Nice to meet you Duchess Fujibayashi-Wilder."

"Please! Call me Sheena. Even I realize that's a mouthful to say."

Lloyd simply nodded. Sheena seemed like a polite and kind-hearted woman, but then again, so did Alice, who was openly staring at him with curiosity in her golden eyes.

"I believe you met Alice already and this big fellow here is Duke Regal Bryant."

Lloyd had to look up at the overpowering man who gave him a polite smile in return. Regal Bryant was a handsome man with a strong jaw and high cheekbones.

Regal walked over and held large hand out. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Lloyd Irving."

Lloyd grabbed Regal hand in a firm grip. "It's nice to meet you, Duke Bryant." He didn't see Regal's wife but from what Kratos told him, he had no doubt that such a successful man was tied down.

"I'll have to introduce you to Alicia some other time, I'm afraid," Regal explained. "She is expecting our first child very soon."

"Oh!" Lloyd let a sincere smile pull at his lips. "Congratulations! Is it a girl or boy?"

"A boy. No doubt he'll be as beautiful as Alicia."

"Aren't you going to introduce _me_!" a whiny voice complained loudly. Lloyd peeked behind Regal to see a tan young man, not much older than Zelos, sitting beside Alice. The young man wore a frown.

"Oh, yeah," Zelos snorted. "Lloyd, this is Decus. Decus, Lloyd Irving."

Decus stood up from the couch and raced over and held out his hand. "It's good to meet you, Lloyd!"

Lloyd's nose twitched as Decus' cologne wafted past him and finally knew the source of the smell of when he first entered the room. He _was_ about to use his hand to cover up his nose, when Kratos quickly grabbed his wrist in an iron grip. How could anyone stand this smell? Lloyd's nose twitched violently again. Ugh! It smelled like that oyster soup that Raine tried to make that day so long ago. Lloyd discreetly tried to remove his wrist from Kratos's grip, but that grip tightened.

"I see your nose twitching!" Decus sang as he sniffed his sleeve. "It's my new cologne, Eau De Seduction. Do you like it?"

Lloyd wanted to cry, as he tried to move his arm again, but Kratos' grip remained unyielding. Kratos was right! Decus and Alice were sadistic!

"I-It smells good! Where did you get it?"

Decus chuckled and pointed to a guilty-looking Regal. "It's one of Regal's products! He's the CEO of the Lezareno Company."

Shame on Regal! Lloyd thought with despair. He gave everyone a forced smile despite the strong odor coming from Decus.

"It was a pleasure meeting all of you," and Lloyd turned to Regal, who still looked slightly ashamed, "and congratulations again on your [expected] child."

Regal grimaced. "Thank you, Lloyd. I look forward to seeing you again."

"Same here." He would be delighted to see Regal again and give him his enthusiastic opinion on how horrible that cologne was.

"It's really good to see all of you again," Kratos stated. His tone was a careful neutrality that Lloyd knew well "But I promised Lloyd to dance the last two sets with him before we left for the night."

"That's very romantic of you!" Alice gushed. "Why don't we all go down together?"

Lloyd really didn't want to do that. He gently tugged again and Kratos quickly released his aching wrist. Lloyd wouldn't be surprised if he found a bruise there later on.

"Yes, of course," Kratos replied, as he unlocked the door and held it wide. Lloyd waited for everyone to pass before turning to Kratos with a glare.

"You should've warned me about Decus," he muttered, reaching up and covering his nose, "that atrocious smell lingers, for Martel's sake!

"Apologies," Kratos said even though his tone implied that he didn't mean it. "We should catch up before they come back. Or rather, before Alice sends Decus to retrieve us."

Lloyd all but ran down the hallway, even though he had no idea where he was going. He figured he would find his way back down to the ballroom eventually.

In the Ballroom, Emil wasn't having as much fun as he thought he would be. Richter and Aster -once again- had left him behind to talk about Martel knew what and had left him standing there by the buffet table.

Emil had taken a liking to the punch, and was currently on his fifth cup. He didn't know what Alice had put in it, but it was definitely good. He licked his lips, grabbing the ladle to pour his sixth cup, and downing it in record time. If he wasn't going to dance, he might as well enjoy the food and drink that was here, much like Lloyd had been doing previously.

Speaking of Lloyd, Emil had seen Kratos whisk him out of the ballroom only about thirty minutes ago. He hoped everything was all right with the engaged couple.

"Emil!" Turning, Emil spotted Marta coming towards him, holding her maroon dress up and showing off her new black heels.

"Good evening, Marta. Are you enjoying the ball so far?" As soon as those words escaped his lips, Marta's face scrunched up in what he could only describe as disappointment.

"Emil…" Marta started cautiously, staring at the cup in his hand. "How many of those have you had so far tonight?"

Blinking, Emil stared at the sixth empty cup on his hand and then back at Marta. "Six. Why?"

Sighing, Marta leaned closer, beckoning Emil closer. "You do know what's in the punch, right?"

No, he didn't know what was in the punch. It was a little tangy, but besides that, it tasted pretty good. "It's just regular punch. Isn't it?"

At Marta's groan, Emil apparently guessed wrong. "No! Alcohol is in the punch! Regal's _famous_ black cherry wine, to be exact."

Emil groaned and felt the heat rush to his face, adding to the drunken flush that was already there. Guess it didn't make much of a difference in the grand scheme of things. Shrugging, he scooped up another cup and slowly downed it.

"Emil!" Marta whispered, discreetly glancing around them to make sure no one notice. "My explanation was for you to _stop_ drinking! _Not_ continue!"

"I'm already intoxicated, Marta, what does it matter?" Before he could dig in again, a warm body brushed up against his and took the cup away, setting it on the table. Emil's head snapped up to meet the confused emerald eyes of Richter.

"Emil," Richter began lowly, "this isn't like you. What's the matter?"

At that question, Emil felt a hot flash of anger course through him. He reached up and harshly pushed Richter away, and for once, he didn't feel guilty when he saw the hurt widen Richter's eyes.

"_What's the matter_, Richter?" he whispered in a dangerous tone. "I asked you to spend _one_ night with me at the ball, but you couldn't resist running off and talking to Aster for the entire night, could you?"

"Please, calm down!" Marta pleaded, her ocean blue eyes getting suspiciously bright.

Richter reached over and grabbed Emil's slim hands in his. "I'm sorry about not spending time with you, but please do not cause a scene here. We can discuss when we get home."

Emil pushed down his boiling anger and looked to see that they had gained a few curious glances. Some held disdain in their eyes, while others held pure glee at the sight of the infamous couple fighting in such a public setting.

He firmly pulled his hands away from Richter's and gave him a forced smile. "I'm sorry. I overreacted, Richter. It won't happen again."

Emil was grateful when he spotted Kratos and a disgruntled-looking Lloyd enter the ballroom. Ignoring Richter's' and Marta's pleas for him to stay, Emil raced over to his new friend. Maybe Lloyd could cheer him up.

To say Lloyd was upset would have been an understatement. Kratos had found him only moments later, sitting on the stairs, flushed and out of breath from running.

Eyes shining, Kratos had gathered him up, dusted him off and told him not to run off again, no matter the circumstance and proceeded to escort him back to the ballroom, all the while chuckling.

Lloyd couldn't decide whether or not he had come to love Kratos' chuckles or just hate them because most of the time, they were directed _at_ him. He wanted the man to have a sense of humor and lighten up a bit, but he _didn't_ want to be the source of all Kratos' amusement!

They entered the ballroom without much notice, and he reached over to pinch Kratos on the arm to try to at least wipe the smirk off his face.

"Stop laughing at me!" Lloyd whined. "I can't believe you made me suffer through that horrible-smelling Decus!"

"Made you suffer?" Kratos raised an eyebrow. "Unless my memory has gone bad, _all_ of us had to suffer through Decus' horrible-smelling cologne much longer than _you_."

"Longer?" Lloyd gave a Kratos a sympathetic pat on the arm. "Why hasn't Regal put a stop to production of the cologne?"

"He did," Kratos explained softly. "But unfortunately Decus bought almost fifty percent of it before it was stopped."

"Are you saying," Lloyd began slowly, "that Decus has dozens, if not hundreds, of bottles of the stuff locked in this mansion somewhere?"

"Don't try it," Kratos said firmly, seeing the direction of Lloyd's thoughts. "Zelos tried to sneak in here to get rid of it, but Decus caught him in the act and forbade him from ever stepping foot in this mansion again. The _only_ reason Zelos is here now is because Alice invited him and he is one of the heads of the Grand Duke Houses."

Zelos should be happy he didn't have step foot near Decus again, Lloyd thought with envy. He pushed his thoughts away when he spotting Emil coming towards him with a noticeable flush on his cheeks. Lloyd didn't know whether his new friend was drunk or embarrassed.

"Hey Emil…" Catching whiff of alcohol, Lloyd's nose curled up. Yep, Emil was definitely drunk.

Emil stepped back a pace. "I'm sorry, I didn't know the punch was spiked and went a little overboard."

"It's fine." Lloyd narrowed his eyes at Emil. "Are you okay though? You look upset. Did something happen with Richter? Other than him not spending time with you that is."

Emil looked hesitant. "No, we just had a small argument. Is all is everything all right with you two? I saw you sneak out earlier."

"I introduced Lloyd to the remaining three houses," Kratos interrupted. "You'll have to excuse us, Emil, but I promised Lloyd we'd finish the last two sets for tonight."

Lloyd thought he saw a flash of disappointment and hurt flicker through Emil's eyes before that bright smile he was so familiar with surfaced again.

"All right, I hope you enjoy yourselves."

Lloyd watched as Emil walked away, only to bump back into Marta. Lloyd watched skeptically when they immediately began to argue, or at least, that's what it looked like to him. He would ask what was wrong later.

"You seem pretty eager to get away from Emil," Lloyd muttered, allowing Kratos to lead them onto the dance floor.

"Emil and Richter still have problems with their marriage," Kratos explained as he put his hand on Lloyd's hip. "Even though I am their friend, it would be best if we don't get involved."

Spoken like a true noble, Lloyd thought bitterly.

"But shouldn't you at least help them out, even if it is only a little bit?" Lloyd asked, as they began the first set- -thankfully, the waltz again.

"I've done all I can for them," Kratos replied. "Logically, it would've been best if they went their separate ways. Emil told you how they met? That fateful summer in Luin?"

"Yes, but they worked it out, didn't they? I mean, Emil told me that he and Aster got over their differences and think of each other as family now."

"That may be true," Kratos admitted, dipping him down and pulling him back up. "But some part of Emil is still bitter over the fact that Richter and Aster still get along so well, while he and Richter have a somewhat stiff marriage, though loving as it is."

Lloyd felt sympathy wash over him in response to what Kratos said. Even though the duke gave some good points, it still saddened Lloyd to see his friend in such a state. Glancing over Kratos' shoulder, he saw Emil and Richter conversing quietly. Lloyd felt his heart grow a little bit lighter when he saw how bright Emil's eyes lit up at whatever Richter was telling him.

"They may have a few bumps to row over but don't all couples?" he asked quietly.

Kratos lips twitched slightly. "I suppose you're right."

They slowed to a stop as the music faded away, and Lloyd grinned at the content look on Kratos; the one expression never seen before on his face.

"So. How'd I do for my first ball?"

Kratos stared down at him for one long moment. "You did well."

Lloyd blinked at him. "Well?" he repeated quietly. "Not great or excellent? Just '_well_'?"

"Fishing for compliments, are we?" Kratos asked with a teasing smile.

Lloyd flushed. He was doing no such thing! But honestly, he thought he had done better than a mere 'well'.

Right?

Lloyd opened his mouth, but just then, a screech pierced the air, and all movement in the ballroom came to a stop. He turned to see Marta drenched in punch and a smug Alice standing in front of her with the glass bowl in her gloved hands. He watched in shock as Marta grabbed one of the few pastries left and threw it into Alice's face. He glanced at Kratos, whose blank face gave away no emotion.

"Shouldn't we, umm, stop them?"

Kratos looked down at him and blinked slowly. "No," he replied. "We shouldn't."

Now, Lloyd saw that Emil had gotten involved, and he watched as Emil tried to pull Marta away, only to get hit in the face by a piece of chocolate cake.

What a waste of dessert, Lloyd thought, as he saw the cake hit the ground with a splat. It was by then that Richter and Decus had stepped in and pulled the two noblewomen apart. It was only then that the ballroom became active again, the music starting up and most of the nobles acting as if nothing had happened, which amazed Lloyd.

"I think it's best if we left now," Kratos spoke up, holding his arm up for him to take. Lloyd nodded his head and grabbed Kratos' offered arm. They quickly stepped past Emil and Richter to say their goodnights.

"Are you feeling better now, Emil?" Lloyd asked.

Emil nodded, the flush of alcohol gone from his face. "Yes! We're on our way home now. We've managed to clean up Marta as best we could, but she's still upset."

Lloyd didn't blame the woman, being drenched in punch -with alcohol- in front of the most influential of the aristocracy, _and_ by the hands of her very own cousin, had to be embarrassing.

"What happened, anyway?" Lloyd asked.

Emil grimaced. "Marta and Alice have never really gotten along… Alice most likely made some sort of snide comment -she never learned to hold her tongue when necessary- towards Marta. Unfortunately, Marta is quick to anger and takes offense very easily. Thus the fight. Poor Marta."

"Marta is a strong woman, I'm sure she'll land on her feet from this," Kratos said. "If you'll excuse us, we'll be going. Please tell Richter goodnight from us, won't you?"

"Yes, of course. Goodnight to the both of you."

Lloyd and Kratos said their goodbyes to a number of passing nobles on their way out and back to their awaiting carriage.

Lloyd wondered if anyone of them would even remember him if he ever saw them again, and he hoped that he had made some kind of impression on them. He should have made more of an effort to mingle instead of stuffing his face. If he didn't make an impression, he would just have to try harder next time.

"There is no need to look so down," Kratos said, as if reading his mind. "You did very well tonight, with the exception of the buffet table and almost offending Decus."

Lloyd grimaced at the mention of Decus. "I don't think I could've offended someone like that, Kratos. He seemed like he doesn't have a remorseful bone in his body."

Kratos lips twitched slightly. "He married Alice, didn't he? They are a match made in hell."

Lloyd's laughter echoed throughout the carriage the entire way home.

* * *

Thank you for reading and review :D


	12. Chapter 12

Valkyria : Hello everyone (waves) welcome to Chapter Twelve of Flames of the Heart~!

Griever : Thank you for staying with us.

Valkyria : We'll just cut to the chase and let you guys read. Griever if you would?

Griever : We claim no ownership to Tales of Symphonia nor it's characters. Enjoy.

* * *

"**_The aftermath of the Duchess Lualdi's ball was enlightening, in more ways than one."_**

**_- Lloyd Irving-Aurion"_**

Chapter Twelve : Chasing Phantoms.

Lloyd could honestly say that he was neither surprised nor offended about the whispering the servants were doing behind his back when he dragged himself to the dining room the next morning.

It seemed from the words he had caught from the gossiping that Meltokio was abuzz with rumors about his appearance and the _scandalous _fight between Duchess Lualdi and her cousin Lady Marta Lualdi and to make matters even worse, nasty rumors were going around about the small spat between Emil and Richter had as well.

Lloyd thought the whole thing was ridiculous and petty, though he supposed people who were born into families who had millions of gold had nothing better to do.

Twisting the knob to the double doors of the dining room, Lloyd stepped in to see Kratos already seated at the head of the table with more than half of his food gone.

"Good morning," Kratos told him quietly as he pulled out a chair and sat down.

Lloyd returned the greeting and took a chance to study the duke. Kratos had outdone himself again wearing a black silk long-sleeve shirt that sat well against his pale skin and showed off his broad shoulders.

"Is something the matter?" Kratos asked softly, but from the tone of his voice he _knew_ exactly what Lloyd was thinking about.

"No!" Lloyd squeaked, his face heating up. He snatched the plate of warm pancakes and began to pile some on his plate, all the while trying to will away the blush on his face.

"I see. Well, now that you're here, there is something I wanted to discuss with you." Lloyd waved his forked absently, and Kratos gave him an amused look before continuing. "Have you thought about a spot for the wedding yet?"

Lloyd's fork dropped with a distinct _clank _on the table, and Kratos raised an eyebrow at the action. Lloyd picked the silverware back up and set it gently on his plate.

He _hadn't _been thinking about a particular spot, only just the thought about going out to find one. If he told Kratos that he doubted the man would be very pleased and would most likely think that Lloyd had been fooling around for the last few weeks.

_Think…! Think…!_

"I have," Lloyd lied, staring at his partially eaten pancakes. He would be absolutely fine if he didn't look into Kratos' eyes.

"Oh?" Lloyd almost flinched from the suspicion in Kratos' deep voice. "Where of have you been thinking?"

Lloyd swallowed and mentally ran through the list of towns that Raine taught them during the geography part of the class.

"Altamira." Lloyd raised his eyes and met Kratos' red gaze. Just like his voice, it was holding suspicion.

Kratos relaxed against the velvet-padded chair and stared at Lloyd through half-lidded eyes. "You wouldn't be lying to me so you could escape my disapproval of you slacking off, would you, Lloyd?"

Lloyd figured he had two choices. Blurt out that he had quickly made the spot up, or continue lying and digging his grave and cracking the trust Kratos was little-by-little placing in him.

"Lloyd?" Kratos asked calmly.

"O-of course not…" he lied forcing himself not to wince whilst doing so, "Altamira seems like an ideal place for an abundance of people…"

Kratos stared at him for a long moment before finally nodding his head. "If I am not to busy after the festival, we'll leave together to have a look at Altamira. Sound good?"

Lloyd had no doubt that Kratos would most likely be busy, but it was reassuring to see the man trying to push his schedule back to check out the wedding spot he had randomly chosen.

"Sounds good."

Lloyd picked up his fork and used it to move his eggs around, suddenly losing his appetite after lying to Kratos. It was a good chance that Kratos knew that he was lying, which made the situation even worse. But, he didn't want to make Kratos angry by saying he didn't have an location set already.

He had indeed had dug himself a very deep hole.

The doors to the dining room opened, and Tristan bowed his head. "Sir Lloyd, Lord Castagnier-Abend has arrived and is waiting for you in the drawing room."

"Thank you, Tristan. I'll be right there."

Tristan bowed again before stepping out and closing the doors behind him. Lloyd scooted out his chair and gave a shaky smile towards Kratos before quietly excusing himself from the room.

Closing the doors behind him, Lloyd leaned against them and ran his hand down his face in frustration. He knew that he would end up confessing to Kratos later on; Raine always told him he was a terrible liar.

"Great way to start a marriage, Lloyd," he scolded himself as he began to make his way to the drawing room.

He arrived minutes later and found Emil on the couch with a book in his lap. Lloyd approached him and knocked on the coffee table to get his attention.

Emil looked up and gave him a small smile before closing his book and putting it aside. "G'morning, Lloyd."

Easing into the seat next to Emil, Lloyd returned the greeting. "So, what are we doing today?"

Emil frowned and tilted his head. "Did…something happen? You sound upset."

"I lied to Kratos this morning. A few minutes ago actually."

"Oh? What about?"

Lloyd picked at a loose string in his shirt. "The wedding location. I hadn't picked one out yet, and when he asked me about it I blurted out Altamira."

"Altamira? The seaside resort?"

"Yeah."

Emil grabbed his arm and gently coaxed him to turn around. He met Emil's worried gaze. "It's all right, Lloyd, cheer up!"

Lloyd groaned and closed his eyes. "What's there to be cheerful about? Kratos most likely knows I lied to him about it."

"Of _course_ he does," Emil replied bluntly. "I'm sorry to be harsh, but you're a horrible liar."

"So I've been told," Lloyd growled.

"Why did you lie to him about it anyways? It seemed like such a silly thing to be lying about…"

Lloyd shrugged helplessly. "I didn't want to him think that I had been fooling around these last few weeks. Along with getting ready for the ball and the etiquette lessons, I had been too tired to be looking for a place."

"And?"

Lloyd's stomach twisted into knots at the next confession but he plunged forward. "I've been thinking of sneaking back home when I actually begin looking for a place…"

"_What..!"_

"Keep your voice down!" Lloyd reached over to clamp shut Emil's mouth. "It wouldn't have done any harm. I was going to be gone for more than a day anyways!"

"Lloyd!" Emil pulled his hand away. "Have you ever thought of _asking,_ instead of sneaking around like a thief at night!"

Lloyd rolled his eyes at Emil's comment. "Okay, _first_, I totally resent that thief comment and second, I said I was _thinking_ about doing it. There is a difference between thinking and actually doing the deed, Emil."

He grinned when Emil scowled at him for his teasing words, he scooted away to give Emil some breathing room. Emil reached down to flip open his small case. He reached in and brought out a small book to hand to Lloyd.

"Here, while you're _thinking_ about visiting Iselia during your trip, you need to start picking out flowers, colors, and the design for the invitations."

Lloyd grabbed the book. "Kratos is taking care of the invitations."

Emil shrugged. "We've discussed that. He's going to make sure they get to everyone while you make sure the design is perfect and please, Lloyd, spare no expense. Make sure they're not too flashy or too simple."

Lloyd snorted and flipped open the book and thought the first five were too flashy and the next four were too simple.

"So," Emil started up by the time he reached the middle of the book, "what are you planning to do during the festival?"

"What makes you think I'm going to try anything during the festival?"

"Call it a gut feeling, if you will."

Lloyd snorted before finally deciding on a blue background with a gold ivy frame, it looked elegant enough yet not to flashy for the wedding invitations. He handed the book back to Emil and smiled when he received a hum of approval.

"I might or I might not have something planned. Who knows? I'm still thinking about it," Lloyd teased.

He knew that Emil was going to be somewhat disappointed if he knew that he was planning on confronting Pronyma during the festival, _if_ he found out what she looked like and if she was there.

"Hey, Emil? How much do you know about the Desian Faction?" He wasn't surprised when Emil shot him a suspicious look.

"I know just much as you do probably. They're a bunch of extremists dead set on getting rid of the class system in Meltokio. Why?"

"No particular reason," Lloyd lied. "Do you think I would most likely run into one of them during the festival?"

Emil placed his hand against his chin. "Pronyma is one you would definitely run into. She is the boldest out of all the cardinals and does most of the protesting. I've run into her on more than one occasion."

Lloyd seriously couldn't believe his luck. "Really? What does she look like? I want to stay on the safe side if I _do_ run into her."

Now it was Emil's turn to snort. "Safe and Pronyma do not belong in the same sentence. But to answer your question, she has green hair and eyes, tan skin and she's always scantily dressed in gold, so you can't miss her."

"Looking hard enough, Emil?" Lloyd teased and resisted the urge to laugh out loud when he saw his friend's face flush a dark red.

"Well, it was kind of hard not to notice!" Emil rushed to explain. "I mean-!"

Lloyd raised a hand to stall the long list of excuses he knew were coming. "It's fine, Emil! Really! I was teasing you."

Emil sent him a withering glare in which he returned with a grin. Lloyd decided it was time to change the subject before Emil got anymore suspicious.

"How are you and Richter holding up?"

"Richter and I are fine," Emil replied. "But I am worried about his and Aster's trip to the World Tree after the festival…"

Lloyd blinked, "I'm sure they'll be fine. I mean, Richter can fight can't he? And wield magic because of his elfin heritage?"

"Yes, of course. It's just that Ratatosk resides there and he's particularly known to dislike humans and half-elves."

"So he just likes elves?"

"Apparently."

"Would you feel better if you accompanied them? I have a feeling Ratatosk isn't your only concern," Lloyd said hesitantly.

Emil ran his hands through his hair. "Am I really so easy to read?"

"Afraid so," Lloyd admitted. "Look, you have to have more confidence in yourself and Richter. I'm sure that Richter loves you very much-"

"I know!" Emil cut in. "I _know_ that he loves me. He tells me more than three times a day, but I have a feeling something bad is going to happen or they are going rekindle their so-called _love."_

"He chose you over Aster, didn't he? You can always throw that in Aster's face when you two get in a nasty argument, eh?"

"That's a horrible thing to remind a person of, Lloyd!"

Lloyd shrugged, "So? Tell me you haven't thought of throwing that in Aster's face before."

The thoughtful expression that flickered across Emil features was enough to convince Lloyd that he had indeed thought of it before.

"Hey, Emil?"

"Yes?"

"Do you think that Kratos would let me go back to Iselia after the festival?"

"Oh?" Emil sent him a sly look that he didn't appreciate. "Change your mind about sneaking off?"

"I decided it's not worth the trouble or getting Kratos upset."

"I don't see why he wouldn't let you visit for a day, it being such a simple request."

"I'll ask him tonight." Lloyd murmured. "Do you think Altamira is an okay place? Or would Kratos enjoy the Church of Martel more?"

"The Church of Martel in the city is where Kratos and Anna were married," Emil confessed quietly. "It was one of the biggest and most talked-about weddings in a long time. So yes, I think Altamira is the perfect place. I loved Anna, but their wedding would overshadow yours."

"So what you're saying is that if we have the wedding in the Church of Martel, it would remind Kratos too much of his and Anna's wedding?"

"Exactly."

"Kratos doesn't seem like the beach-type, you know?" Lloyd mused. He started when Emil suddenly released a small laugh.

"Lloyd,_ none_ of the nobles are the beach-type. So it would always look extremely awkward."

"You're a beach-type, Emil," Lloyd said. "You are from Palmacosta after all."

Emil tittered. "Well, it's been awhile since I've been, but with your wedding, I definitely plan to enjoy myself."

"That's good to hear."

He and Emil had managed to finish some of the wedding preparations around lunchtime. Lloyd desperately hoped that Kratos was too busy to meet to eat with him.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay?" Lloyd asked, as he watched Emil gathered his things.

"Oh, I'm sure," Emil replied with dark amusement in his eyes. "Just tell Kratos the truth, Lloyd."

"I don't think that's such a good idea," Lloyd muttered. Kratos' anger-filled red eyes flashed through his mind, and Lloyd shuddered.

"I told you, Lloyd, everything is going to be fine. If Kratos is anything like Richter, he'll let you sweat until you blurt everything out unwillingly."

"That doesn't reassure me at all."

"It wasn't supposed to."

Lloyd walked Emil to the door and bade his friend good-bye before shutting the door and hurrying to the dining room.

* * *

Fortunately, he found the large room, and Kratos' usual seat, vacant. Lloyd released a huge sigh of relief before trudging over to his usual seat and plopping down on it. He was disappointed when the double doors creaked opened no more than a minute later, and Kratos walked in, looking slightly ruffled with his reading glasses perched on his nose.

"You're early," Kratos commented, striding to his seat at the head of the table. Lloyd straightened up and poured a glass of juice from the jug that had been placed in the middle of the table.

"Emil and I finished early. You look tired. Rough day?"

"Last minute preparations for the Winter Solstice festival and World Tree expedition." Kratos explained with a tired sigh.

"Oh! You're on the festival committee?"

Kratos removed his glasses and set them on the table before reaching back up to rub his eyes. "I'm the head of the festival committee technically. The winter festival brings in a lot of revenue for Meltokio and the King put my family in charge decades ago."

"Well, going to Flanoir will give you some kind of reprieve," Lloyd said, trying to be helpful.

_Seeing Anna will also most likely set your mind at ease_, he added silently.

Kratos merely cocked an eyebrow- -an action which made Lloyd feel embarrassed at his choice of words and the underlying meaning to them.

"What did Emil think of Altamira?" Kratos asked, obviously moving onto a different subject, which for once, Lloyd didn't mind.

"He didn't mind at all, since it gives him a chance to enjoy the beach again like in Palmacosta."

"I see."

"When has the last time you've been to the beach Kratos?"

Kratos shook his head, and Lloyd watched as his eyes became distant. " Not since I was a child, I'm afraid."

_Were you ever a child, Kratos?_ Lloyd wondered. He once thought that nobles had nothing to worry about, especially with all the gold they had at the edge of their fingertips, but since he arrived in Meltokio, he was proven wrong again and again.

Underneath all the prestige, gold and beauty, nobles had worries just like commoners; they merely hid those worries under a perfect porcelain mask. Never able to express those feelings, and if they did they were talked about like a plague.

Lloyd suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of pity for Kratos' past and a sudden dread for the future he was walking towards.

"Are you all right, Lloyd?" Kratos' voice came through his thoughts like a sharp knife. "You've gotten pale all of a sudden."

Shaking his head to clear the fog of depressing thoughts, Lloyd sent Kratos a small, apologetic smile.

"Yes," he replied, "I'm fine. I have to apologize to you about earlier. You were right. I did lie about Altamira because I didn't want you to be disappointed or angry with me for slacking off about preparations for the wedding. I hope you can forgive me._"_

Surprisingly, Kratos graced him with an amused smirk. "Apology accepted, Lloyd. Thank you for not betraying my trust in you, and no, I'm not disappointed, or angry, about you slacking off because you really haven't. With the ball out of the way you can give our wedding your full, undivided attention."

Lloyd didn't bother to hide the relief he felt at Kratos' words. Kratos seemed to be in a good mood, so maybe it wouldn't hurt to ask.

"One more thing, Kratos."

"Yes?"

Lloyd gently caressed the top of his crystal glass. "Do you think that we could visit Iselia for the day when we go to Altamira to make reservations for the wedding?"

"You're actually asking me instead of sneaking off?" was Kratos' skeptical reply.

"Of course I'm asking! It's your carriage and driver I'll be using if you can't make it."

"_Ours."_

"Huh?"

"Ours," Kratos repeated patiently, giving Lloyd a serious look. "We're engaged, so everything I have is now yours."

Well, Lloyd wasn't expecting that at all, and apparently his face showed the surprise because Kratos reached over and clasped his hand gently.

"I meant it, Lloyd. We're getting married in mere months, and you need to learn that you needn't ask for simple things like visiting your friends in Iselia. However, I would appreciate it if you would at least tell me you're going."

"Yes! Of course!" Lloyd blurted out quickly. "I wouldn't just leave in the middle of the night or something and not a word to you…."

_I was going to sneak off. He wouldn't have shown it…but Kratos was probably going to worry if I took too long, _Lloyd thought.

The very thought of making Kratos worry over him was distressing enough, and he gently pulled his hand out of Kratos' loose grasp and intersected their fingers together. He noticed that Kratos wasn't wearing his usual pair of gloves. Kratos' was a lighter tan and his fingers were more callused than he thought they would be.

"Sneaking off in the middle of the night…" Kratos whispered. Lloyd looked up to see Kratos staring at him with amused eyes. "Not planning a liaison with Emil are you..?"

"_Kratos!" _

Kratos' laughter only made Lloyd more disgruntled, and he tried to remove his fingers from Kratos', but the Duke tightened his grip.

"I apologize, Lloyd," Kratos told him through his laughter. "I realize that was an inappropriate thing to say."

"I see you're getting better at your sense of humor Kratos Aurion," Lloyd grumbled.

They slipped into a comfortable silence and let their hands slide out of the caress before turning their attention to the food before them

"Your hands," Lloyd started. "They're much more callused than I thought they would be. You're good with the sword, yeah?"

"That's right," Kratos confirmed, rubbing his fingers together. "I'm sure Emil told you about that while he was telling you about how he and Richter met. My father taught me when I was old enough to hold a sword."

"So a really long time, then…"

Kratos lips thinned at Lloyd's comment. "Are you implying something?"

"Maybe. Are you really four-thousand years old? Sometimes even a small part of a rumor has some truth to it."

"If I told you I was, what would you say? What would you think? What would you feel?"

"There would be many things I would feel," Lloyd began, "awe, shock, confusion, disbelief. I would think 'How did this man hide such a secret for so long? Did many people find out?' and finally I would say…"

Lloyd suddenly stood up and walked to Kratos side, laying his hand on Kratos' shoulder as he stared directly into Kratos' guarded red eyes.

"I would say that no matter what, you are you, and while you will outlive me, I would give you all the love and support I can as your friend and husband."

"Thank you. And to answer your question, yes, I am four-thousand and twenty-eight years old."

Finally. Finally to learn the truth after all this time. Lloyd found that he wasn't as surprised as he thought he would be. To be married to an angel- -one that was over four-thousand- -was more awe-inspiring than scary.

"I don't understand though," Lloyd wondered out loud. "Were you born an angel? Or did something happen to you back then? If I'm right about the time, you were born and grew up during the Kharlan War."

"That's correct."

"So what happened?"

When Kratos gave him a small smile, Lloyd knew that he wasn't going to get any details today or anytime soon.

_Oh, well,_ Lloyd thought with no remorse. _I can always get it out of him on the trip to Iselia and Altamira. _

"When's the festival?" he asked instead, resisting a smirk when he saw the obvious relief in Kratos' eyes at the subject change.

"It starts tomorrow morning and lasts three days. People from all over Sylvarant and Tethe'alla are coming, so the city is going to get extremely crowded."

"Thank you for taking me to the festival, Kratos. I know you're busy-" He stopped when Kratos raised his hand.

"It's no problem at all," Kratos soothed. "It has been a couple of years since I've last attended. It would be nice to see all of the work I've put into it."

Lloyd released a soft chuckle. "All right, promise me you'll have fun, then?"

Kratos threw him an exasperated look. "I'll have fun, but I can't run around screaming at the top of my lungs. I do have a reputation to uphold after all."

He sent Kratos a playful smirk. "Of course, Duke Aurion! I'll make sure you have a good time at the festival while looking elegant at the same time."

"That's all I ask for."

* * *

End Chapter Twelve. Thanks for reading :D


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer : I have no rights to Tales of Symphonia ; Enjoy the story**

* * *

_"The lights, colors and smells of my first Winter Solstice festival will forever remain in my heart. It was also a time of when I met one of my most dear friends."_

_~Lloyd Irving-Aurion_

Chapter Thirteen : Blessings of Martel and Spring.

"Remind me to never let you wake me up again, Kratos, while we're still engaged," Lloyd grumbled rubbing his still sore and- -most likely bruised- -forehead.

"Noted."

The morning had started unusually for Lloyd, since he had woken up with Kratos looming over him. That had caused Lloyd to cry out in fear and bump their foreheads together. Kratos had given him a withering glare- -while rubbing his forehead- -and had told him to hurry up and get ready, stating they were already late.

"Late for what?" Lloyd had asked, pushing the blankets away and yawning. "Where's Andrea? She usually drags me out of bed."

Kratos had dug through his new wardrobe before pulling out a white and blue tunic with buttons lining the side and trousers of the same color. "Andrea and the other staff are out enjoying the festival right now."

"Really? You let everyone off for the festival?"

The way the statement was spoken was enough for Kratos to turn and give Lloyd a bemused look. "Why is that so surprising?"

"Well…" Lloyd had coughed and sheepishly scratched his head. "Kratos, you're a workaholic."

"Am I?" Kratos had chuckled and walked back to Lloyd's' bed to lay the outfit across it. "Well, someone other than the King and his army have to keep Meltokio up and running."

"Just how many businesses do you have your fingers dipped into?" Lloyd had asked. He'd scrunched up his face at the flashy outfit Kratos had chosen, but didn't voice his complaint.

"Plenty," had been Kratos vague response. "Now shower and get dressed. I'll be waiting near the stairs."

Like clockwork, Lloyd's stomach had released a loud growl. "What about breakfast?"

Halfway out the door Kratos had turned, his eyes and gestures impatient. "We'll eat on the way. Make haste, Lloyd."

Lloyd had waited for the door to click shut before childishly sticking out his tongue. He had finally climbed out of bed and gotten dressed, and as tempting as it was to make Kratos wait even longer than he was currently, Lloyd didn't want to make Kratos even more annoyed.

Pushing the earlier morning's events to the back of his mind, Lloyd leaned forward and peeked behind the curtain of the carriage. They were still minutes away from the festival grounds but he could already see dozens of balloons rise into air, some most likely let go on accident by children.

"I want to be let out when we're close enough," Lloyd spoke up, releasing the small curtain and letting it fall back in place.

"You want to explore on your own?" Kratos asked. "After I told you it was going to be extremely crowded?"

"That's the whole fun of it, Kratos!" Lloyd gushed out. "Getting lost in the crowds, smells and food."

"Getting swept away with the crowds is more like it," Kratos countered smoothly. "You do realize that the usual attendants of the festival is in the thousands?"

Hearing that was going to make finding Pronyma a lot more difficult.

The carriage slowed to a stop and before Kratos could stop him, Lloyd quickly unlatched the door and stepped out. He didn't expect see a group of curious-eyed children standing a mere five feet away.

Just as Lloyd was about to wave at the children, they quickly scattered away as if something scared them.

"Really now," Kratos mused from over his shoulder, "I'm not that scary, nor ugly for that matter."

Lloyd resisted the urge to tell Kratos that he was indeed intimating, but his ruby red eyes- -though beautiful- -didn't make the situation better.

Stepping completely out of the carriage, Lloyd was quickly hit with a blast of cold wind, and reaching up, he wrapped his scarf tighter around his neck.

"Where to?" Kratos asked from beside him. Lloyd looked around and realized that Kratos wasn't exaggerating with the number of people. Most of the attendants were children and young adults.

"I don't know," Lloyd admitted. "There's so many people…I can barely see any of the stands."

"We will just have to push our way through then." Kratos grabbed Lloyd's shoulder and forced him to move forward.

As soon as they entered the crowds, a group of flushed teenagers running by pushed Lloyd into Kratos.

Before he could open his mouth and call back to them, they were already out of sight. Grumbling, Lloyd wrapped his arms around Kratos not only for safety but also for warmth.

"He clings to me so tightly," Kratos teased as he wrapped an arm around Lloyd in return. "Weren't you the one who wanted to go exploring?"

Lloyd huffed and released the older man. "Don't tease me and I wasn't going to get lost if I went my own. I am old enough to do so."

Kratos let out an exhausted sigh before nodding his head towards the stalls. "Yes, I know you're old enough, Lloyd. Why don't we go check out the stalls? I'm curious to see how they are doing this year."

Turning around, Lloyd almost purred at how many food stands there were. Not waiting for Kratos, he walked forward occasionally bumping into a passerby.

"Welcome, sir!" the cheerful merchant called to Lloyd once he was within earshot. "Hope you're having a good time at the festival this year! I have ale or wine to warm your bones or would you prefer some pot roast to fill your stomach?"

Lloyd's eyes slid over to the pastries and his nose gave a delighted twitch. "What are these?"

"Those are my wife's famous apple strudels. She makes them every year. Would you like one sir?"

"One?" Lloyd scoffed. "I'll take three of them, please!"

"Three it is, sir!" The merchant gave Lloyd grin before quickly wrapping all three pastries up tightly. "That'll be forty gald please."

At the price Lloyd froze, he didn't have any gald, and sighing, he was about to tell the merchant that it was okay before a strong arm reached over and handed the merchant the exact amount or it looked to be.

The merchant removed his hat and bowed. "Many thanks to you, Lord Aurion. But it's a little much."

"It's for a pouch of ale." Kratos explained. "Is your stall doing well this year, Walter?"

Walter gave both of them a warm smile. "It's doing very well, Lord Aurion, and this young man is going to make my wife very happy when I tell her he loved her apple strudel. Please give it a try, sir."

Lloyd unwrapped the pastry and took a small bite and before he could hold it in, a small moan escaped his lips from the taste.

"It's very good, Mr. Walter!"

"Glad you like it! Hope you two have a good festival and may Martel bless you."

"You as well, Mr. Walter," Lloyd responded before Kratos could. "Have a happy Winter Solstice."

"That was kind of you," Kratos spoke up once they were out of earshot from Walter's ears. Lloyd shrugged and took another bite out of the dessert.

"I only talked to him for a few minutes and you could tell he was a very kind man. Thank you for paying, by the way."

"No need to thank me, Lloyd." Kratos pulled out a wad of gald and passed it to Lloyd. "Take this and use it wisely."

Lloyd took the large amount with a frown. "Isn't this a bit much, Kratos? I won't be buying a lot of things."

Kratos dismissed his words with a shake of the head. "You might find something worthwhile and that would mostly likely cover it. I have to go make rounds now. We'll meet back at Walter's stand. Agreed?"

"Okay."

Waiting until Kratos was out of sight, Lloyd buried his face into his thick scarf and began exploring the festival grounds.

Now, if I was protesting against the aristocracy where would be the perfect spot do so?

Asking around was tempting, but wasn't a favorable option, because he didn't want to draw too much attention to himself by doing so and talk spread too quickly around here for his taste.

"Lloyd! Lloyd! Wait up!"

Turning, he spotted Emil sprinting towards him with a healthy flush to his face. Lloyd mentally cursed at being caught by him, he didn't want Emil with him when he went to confront Pronyma. Lowering the scarf, he flashed Emil a grin and waved.

"Caught you!" Emil panted out. "I spotted you when Richter and I entered the grounds but I lost sight of you shortly after…where's Kratos?"

Lloyd pointed towards the stalls in the distance. "Said he had to check how the other stalls are doing. Did you abandon Richter at the gates?"

"We split up for the time being. Where were you headed?"

"No particular place," Lloyd lied. "I was going to walk around and see some of the stalls and you, Emil?"

"I need another blade," Emil replied. "I could get one at anytime of course, but the best ones always come in when the festival starts."

"You…" Lloyd blinked. "I didn't know you were a swordsman…"

Emil grinned. "You never asked. Richter taught me. Well, he's still teaching me in his spare time."

"I see. Do you mind if I accompany you then? Maybe I'll see something I like."

"Yes! Of course."

"So," Emil started softly as they started walking through the snow and people. "Have you found Pronyma yet?"

That subtle way Emil said it almost caused Lloyd to trip over his boots. "P-pardon?"

"I _said_," Emil turned and stared at him with dark amusement, "have you found Pronyma yet?"

"What makes you think I'm even looking for her?"

Emil gave him a sly smile before turning around and walking away. "Why wouldn't you look for her, Lloyd? I mean, if she was blabbering false rumors about my husband to be I would be looking for her as well. But, if you're not, then come along. Those nice blades are waiting."

Flabbergasted, Lloyd could do nothing but hurry to catch up with Emil.

"How did you figure it out?" Lloyd asked. He was sure that'd been careful in asking everything and had even managed to slip under Kratos's watchful gaze.

"Simple," Emil replied. "You asked."

"You figured out that I was looking for Pronyma simply because I asked?"

"Well, that and you're a horrible liar, Lloyd Irving. We're here."

Lloyd turned his attention away from Emil and gasped at the sight of many of the blades laid across the stall and some leaning against it.

"Come one, come all! I have twin blades, axes, long swords, knives. You name it, we have it!"

"Excuse me," Lloyd called, turning the merchant's attention to him. "May I see your twin blades?"

"How about these, sir?" The merchant lifted up a pair of twin blades with pure white and gold hilts along with a silver cross guard. The blades themselves were slightly curved and a very light silver color.

Lloyd instantly fell in love with them.

"H-how much are these? And what are they called?"

"Thought you might like 'em!" the merchant chuckled. "These are called Angel's Tears and the price of these is seventy-six hundred gald."

Lloyd didn't know whether to cry at the price or laugh at the ironic name the blades had, which reminded him of Kratos.

"Don't be enthralled by their beauty, Lloyd," Emil whispered next to him. "Why don't you try them out first? They'll be nothing but trophy swords if you can't use them."

Lloyd frowned when the merchant sent Emil a stone glare. "There is no need to test these blades out. They are made from the very best blacksmiths in the village of Asgard!"

"Then you won't mind if we do try them out?" Lloyd asked with icy politeness. "If you say that these blades are some of the best from Asgard then you have nothing to worry about, correct?"

"Do what you wish!" the merchant spat. "As you long as you pay for 'em!"

Lloyd picked up the blades carefully before giving them a few test swings. He was pleased when they sliced through the air with ease.

"Seems durable enough," Lloyd concluded before gently putting them down back on the stall. "Could you wrap these please?"

"Yes, of course." The merchant turned towards Emil. "A blade for you, sir?"

"Yes." Emil pointed to a long sword that was colored a metallic blue and a sky blue surrounding that. "What is this one called?"

"That's called Mesmeric Trance. The blacksmith's son named it. It'll cost you twenty-three thousand gald, sir."

"That's a rip-off!" Lloyd roared. "That's almost triple the price of mine!"

"I beg your pardon, sir," the merchant hissed dangerously, "that blade he's wanting was made with special metals-"

"And I don't care," Lloyd interrupted. "Lower that ridiculous price!"

"I'm not lowering anything!" the merchant argued back. "That's the price! Take it or leave it!"

Lloyd leaned over the stall and stared directly into the merchant's green eyes. "How about this. If you don't lower the price of these blades then I'm sure Duke Kratos Aurion, my fiancé, would be more than happy to come negotiate with you."

Lloyd watched with smug satisfaction as the merchant's face turned alarmingly pale at the mention of Kratos.

"L-lord Aurion you say? Well, how about sixty-five hundred? Sounds reasonable, yes?"

"Emil?" Lloyd asked sweetly. "Is that good enough?"

"Oh, yes," Emil breathed, reaching into his pocket for the exact amount and handing it to the merchant. "That's perfect."

Once all three blades were securely wrapped, they bade a cheerful good-bye to the still-pale merchant.

"You didn't have to do that," Emil told Lloyd once they were out of earshot. "I easily had enough to pay for it."

"It doesn't matter if you had enough or not," Lloyd protested. "That was seriously too much gald for the sword. It was very finely made, yeah, but that's no excuse to give such an outstanding price…"

"I suppose, but nonetheless thank you for your haggling skills, Lloyd. You saved me quite a bundle."

"No problem."

"Emil! There you are."

Lloyd and Emil turned to see a warmly dressed Richter walking towards them with a package under his arm.

"Hello, Viscount Abend," Lloyd greeted.

"Hello, Lloyd, and please call me Richter, a friend of Emil's is in turn a friend of mine. Are you ready to go, Emil?"

"But it's so early!" Lloyd protested. "The festival just started…"

"I'm sorry, Lloyd," Emil apologized sincerely. "But Richter has to go to Sybak today and pick a few things up and I promised I'd make the trip with him."

"So I won't see you for the duration of the festival?"

"By the time we make it back the festival will be over with. I'm sorry again."

"No, it's okay. But can you tell me where-"

"In the festival square," Emil interrupted smoothly anticipating Lloyd's question. "There are many attractions there. Some you may find informative and worthwhile. Why don't you check it out?"

Lloyd smiled at the innuendo in Emil's words and gave the younger noble a sincere smile. "Thanks, I'll check out. Have a safe journey, you two."

Richter gave Lloyd a knowing smirk before lacing his fingers with Emil's. "Good luck on your findings, Lloyd and may Martel bless you this spring."

Lloyd waited until they were out of view before turning and following the signs that lead to the festival square, where he noticed that the crowds were less and less as he progressed and wondered if many of them had went home.

"Down with the aristocracy! They do not treat us commoners as equals!"

Lloyd looked ahead to see a scantily clad woman holding a golden staff standing in the middle of a small crowd.

"This evil class system should be abolished! No hardworking man or woman should starve in the middle of winter while the nobles fill their stomachs with wine and roast! Down with aristocracy!"

Lloyd continued to stare at the woman. Emil had described Pronyma as having green hair and eyes and draped in gold.

He had found her at long last.

* * *

"Are you sure you want him, Lord Aurion? This one here is a wild one."

Kratos scratched under the white and green creature's chin and smirked when the animal released a happy bark. "Yes, I'm positive. Does he have a name?"

"Nay." The animal seller, Royce, shook his head. "Coincidentally, I just found him outside Meltokio less than a day ago, so I didn't really have time to give him a name. He's certainly the biggest dog I've ever seen."

Kratos didn't bother to correct the animal seller, that what he caught was not a dog.

"How much will you take for him?" Kratos asked.

Royce scratched his chin in thought. "Well, how about twenty-five hundred gald? That sounds reasonable enough."

Reaching into the folds of his cloak, Kratos handed Royce the exact amount before grabbing the creature's leash.

"Thank you for your business, Lord Aurion!"

"May Martel bless you Royce and good day to you."

Kratos took the creature off his leash once they were out of Royce's sight. Kratos petted the creature on its head.

"You're a little too smart to get caught by an old man such as that, aren't you, Noishe? And the nerve of Royce calling you a dog off all things…"

Noishe responded by releasing a low growl to which Kratos smirked.

"Do not get angry with me because you were caught off guard, my friend, and be grateful that I found you before you given to a happy little girl who would most likely dress you up in frills."

Noishe gave a low whine to that and nudged Kratos in the arm.

"You're welcome. Yuan would be delighted to see you again and I'll introduce you to Lloyd once we meet up again."

Kratos gradually made his way back to Walter's stand, ignoring the awe-struck stares he was receiving. He frowned when he didn't see Lloyd anywhere.

"So much for being responsible," Kratos mused. "Let's go find Lloyd, shall we Noishe?"

"Ah! Lord Aurion, a moment of your time, please," Walter called out. Kratos turned and saw the merchant walking towards him urgently with several bags.

"Closing shop today, Walter?"

"Nay," Walter replied. "Just delivering some food to the other stalls on the eastern side. You'd best avoid the western festival grounds if you're looking for the lad you were with earlier."

"Why? Has something happened on the western side?" Kratos demanded.

"That damned Pronyma is stirring up trouble again, Lord Aurion. I'd figure it would be best if you avoided that area for the time being. You should know how well she gets a crowd riled up."

Kratos frowned deeply at the mention of Pronyma. He would prefer to avoid the Cardinal but he had to check the west side to see if Lloyd was there.

"Thank you for the warning. But I must check the west side to search for my fiancé."

"I pray to Martel that that horrid woman doesn't sink her claws into her or him then. Well, I'd best be on my way, my lord. Good luck to you."

"Thank you, Walter."

Rubbing Noishe's neck, Kratos stared in the direction where Pronyma, and most likely Lloyd, were and sighed resignation.

"This is going to be troublesome."

* * *

The longer Pronyma droned on, the more Lloyd became sick to his stomach. Couldn't anyone see that Pronyma was doing this for her own gain and not for the people?

She isn't tired of her own voice, that's for sure, Lloyd thought bitterly. She's been droning on and on for the last hour…

When Pronyma finally stopped speaking, Lloyd wasn't surprised when the few people that gathered started clapping as if they heard one of the best speeches in their entire lives.

Desian Faction supporters? They must not be making any kind of progress if it's only so little a group. Or this could be the group for Meltokio.

"Thank you, my friends," Pronyma spoke clearly over the excited chatter. "With time and patience, we will create equality not only for Meltokio, but for all of Sylvarant and Tethe'alla!"

Lloyd watched Pronyma jump gracefully off the platform and walk away. He made sure she was at a safe distance before following her at a more leisurely pace. Confronting Pronyma while some of her followers were still around wasn't a smart decision.

Martel, if you're listening, please don't let me get caught, especially by Kratos.

He hadn't forgotten that he was supposed to meet Kratos back at Walter's stand, possibly more than fifteen minutes ago.

Better make up _a _good, convincing lie on his way back. Like he got lost or something or other.

Lloyd stopped when he saw Pronyma take a right turn into an alleyway. He waited for a few seconds before following.

"Nice protesting out there. Miss Pronyma!"

Lloyd stopped inches away from the entrance of the alleyway at the male voice coming from it.

Was…that Zelos…?

Pressing himself against the wall, Lloyd waited for Pronyma to respond.

"Those sorry excuses for humans would believe anything. But never mind that, must you be so careless, Zelos? What if someone sees you talking to me? Your reputation, along with our carefully laid plans would be ruined! Have you no sense in that thick head of yours?"

What was Zelos, of all people, doing with Pronyma? Shaking his head in disbelief, Lloyd crossed his arms over his chest and continued listening in.

"Don't be so uptight, cutie pie. Everything is going according to plan! Alice and Decus are doing their part by giving you the funds for travel and supplies, and I'm giving you all the information on Kratos you need."

"Good," Lloyd could hear the smirk in her voice, "to think that Kratos Aurion, of all people, to be an angel _and_ four-thousands years old! I simply feel sorry for that dear boy, what was his name again? It slipped my mind?"

"Lloyd Irving," Zelos supplied. "He won't be much of a problem. I'll take care of him myself. I honestly doubt he has any skills, and he seriously looks like he's lacking in the intelligence department."

Clenching his newly bought twin blades, Lloyd resisted the urge to show Zelos just how proficient he was with them, taking a deep breath, Lloyd let the rage slip away. It wouldn't do to get angry and get caught by those two

"Very well. I'll trust you will take care of the boy. Kratos, on the other hand, will be more than a handful. What of him?"

Zelos next words sent a shiver down Lloyd's spine. "Alice and Decus will take care of Kratos and get the Aionis."

"Still after such a thing, my dear Zelos? You never did tell me what you needed it -"

"You needn't worry about such things, Pronyma. You just keep doing your job and we'll both get what we want."

"Very well. Where should we meet next?"

"The Southeast Abbey. I have business to attend to there."

Hearing footsteps coming near he was, Lloyd turned and quickly ran back into the gathering crowds, only to bump harshly into a hard chest.

"Oh I'm sor-" The words caught in Lloyd's throat when he saw who he was apologizing to. Kratos stared down at him with slight disappointment and irritation.

"Lloyd," Kratos began calmly. "Where have you been? I've been worried."

"I-I'm sorry about being late!" Lloyd rushed to explain. "But I have something to tell-"

"Hush," Kratos interrupted quietly. "You can tell me later, but for now I have someone to introduce to you."

It was only then that Lloyd noticed a very large dog sat next to Kratos, staring at him with dark eyes. "What in Martel's name is that?"

Lloyd flinched when Kratos gave him a disapproving look for his words. "Lloyd, this is Noishe. I purchased him for you today."

"For me?" Lloyd looked down at the dog- -at least it looked like one- -curiously. "What for?"

"Do I need a reason to buy you something?" Kratos countered. "I thought you would like a companion. He's very intelligent, so be sure not to treat him unfairly."

"Of course not!" Lloyd reached over and patted Noishe on the head. "It's very nice to meet you, Noishe! I hope we can be very good friends."

"Come. Let's get you out of this weather. The festival is closing down for today. And you can show me what you have in your hands once we're warm and at home."

"But Kratos-!"

"Whatever you have to tell me can wait until we are away from listening ears."

Lloyd blinked at Kratos's statement, and in the corner of his eye, he spotted Pronyma standing only four feet away. Lloyd tensed when he realized he could've blurted out everything he learned when the culprit was standing so close.

"Okay," Lloyd relented. "Come on, Noishe! I can show you around when we're back!"

Walking away from the festival grounds, Lloyd felt Pronyma's poisonous gaze on his back the entire time and shivered, not from revulsion.

But from fear.

* * *

- End Chapter Fourteen.


	14. Chapter 14

A/N : Sorry about the delay everyone! Here's the next chapter.

Beta'd by : Jan Lee. Thanks so much for dealing with me.

Disclaimer : We claim no rights to Tales of Symphonia nor it's characters. Enjoy the chapter.

* * *

"**_After learning of Zelos' plans towards Kratos, I found myself caught in a intricate web of deceit that traced further back than I ever imagined." _**

**_-Lloyd Irving-Aurion_**

**_Chapter Fourteen : A Snow Light_**

"A Protozoan?" Lloyd repeated while watching Noishe explore the garden.

The staff of the household were surprised when Noishe had walked through the door with Lloyd and Kratos, but they soon warmed up to the creature when they realized how gentle and tame he was.

"One of the first races to be born in the world," Kratos explained. "Therefore, he is a creature guided by mana, the world's energy source."

"But doesn't mean that Noishe will change?"

"That's right," Kratos replied. "Noishe is in his third form, called the Arishi."

"You know so much about Noishe," Lloyd mused. "Did you two know each other before the festival?"

"We met during the Kharlan War." Kratos turned his gaze away from Noishe towards Lloyd. "He was in his third form then- -a bird-like creature called Aeros. Unfortunately, we were separated during the final days of the war. I searched for him for days but was unsuccessful."

"You've must have been surprised when you saw him again, but how did you know it was Noishe? He was in his fourth form, right?"

"The color and the mannerisms," Kratos replied as if was the most simple thing in the world "What was it that you wanted to discuss with me so badly, Lloyd?"

"Oh…_that." _

"Is it about Pronyma? You didn't run into her, did you?"

Lloyd scowled at the mention of the Desian Cardinal. "Yes and no. I followed her."

"You _followed _her," Kratos repeated slowly. "Did you confront her? Is that one of the reasons why you wanted to attend the festivals?"

Lloyd flinched at the accusation in Kratos' voice, but he knew deserved it. "No, I didn't get a chance to confront her. I overhead her and Zelos talking in an alleyway."

"I see," Kratos murmured. "Did they explain how they planned on getting rid of me? Of getting the Aionis?"

"Y-yes!" Lloyd stuttered in surprise. "How did you know?"

Kratos gave Lloyd a bitter smirk, his eyes filled with dark amusement. "Like I've told you before, I'm taking care of everything, _including_ the deals Zelos and Alice are doing with the Desian faction."

"But…I don't understand," Lloyd began hesitantly. "How long have you known this was going on? You seem to get along fine with Zelos when we were at the ball the other day."

"I want him to think that I'm oblivious to his plans. He thinks that I'm so secluded and isolated that I'm not paying attention to anything around me except for you and my business."

"Why is Zelos doing this? And does Sheena know?"

"Sheena is a very honor-bound woman," Kratos stated. "She would not allow this to transpire if she knew what was going on. Zelos has kept her in the dark about this for years. As for the reason he's doing this, and why he wants the Aionis…those answers elude me, I'm afraid."

"Zelos is after this Aionis? What is it?"

"Aionis is an ancient mineral. It gives the wielder the power to control magic and magic-related items."

"And you have it?" Lloyd asked curiously. "I'm assuming you haven't told many people you have this mineral. All of the scientific community would be at your doorstep."

"Exactly. I've only confided with the head of the other houses. This is one of the few mistakes I realized I made when I found out what Zelos and Alice were up to."

"They simply can't be after you for Aionis alone," Lloyd wondered. "Is there something you aren't telling me?"

As Lloyd expected, Kratos' face became blank and his eyes distant. Lloyd was slightly disappointed at not getting an answer right away but once again he would have to be patient.

"I will tell you soon," Kratos finally responded, "but for now, I want you to stay away from Pronyma and any of the Cardinals."

"But Kratos-" Kratos held up a hand to silence him.

"I mean it Lloyd," Kratos said firmly. "Stay _away_. I want you safe and sound. Do you understand me?"

"What are you going to do, Kratos?" Lloyd demanded.

"Nothing that concerns my troublesome fiancé. Promise me that you're not going near Pronyma anymore."

Lloyd gritted his teeth in frustration, because if he made that promise then he would have to keep it. Dirk drilled into his head that he should always keep his word. He wasn't about to forsake Dirk's memory because of selfish motivations.

"What if she runs into me?"

"She wouldn't run into if you were never in her sights to begin with, Lloyd. Now, do you promise?"

"That's not fair!" Lloyd whined. "You can't make me promise this!"

"Actually I can," Kratos countered smoothly. "I'll know you'll keep the promise and _that's_ exactly why I'm making you do it."

Lloyd sighed loudly. "I promise, but in return you can't keep anything from me, okay?"

"I wasn't aware that we were making a deal, just you making a promise to me."

Lloyd frowned at the evasive answer. "But don't you think you should contribute as well? Keeping me in the dark about things certainly isn't going to help me in the long run, now is it?"

"Sometimes," Kratos drawled, "keeping loved ones in the dark is the best way to keep them safe."

Lloyd felt blood rush to his face at Kratos' words. He didn't expect the older man to say such a thing so casually, but then again Kratos had been more open with him lately.

"What if those loved ones don't _want_ to be kept in the dark?" Lloyd asked, his face still feeling red.

Kratos suddenly leaned forward, causing Lloyd scoot towards the end of the bench. "Then my loved one would just have deal with it. I would do anything to keep you safe, Lloyd."

Lloyd watched in a daze as Kratos stood gracefully and smoothed out the wrinkles in his cloak before turning back towards him.

"Come inside soon. The temperature is going to drop sharply, and make sure you pack adequately for the trip to Flanoir tomorrow."

Lloyd snapped out of his daze at Kratos' words. He had briefly forgotten the trip to the quiet city. It would be a nice break.

"You'll introduce me, won't you?" Lloyd asked as Kratos slowly stepped away. "I would love to meet her, Kratos."

"I'm sure Anna would love to meet you as well, Lloyd," Kratos replied, whilst keeping his back turned. "She'll see what a wonderful and energetic person you are."

Lloyd allowed a small smile to pull at his lips at the compliment. "Is that your way of saying that I'm troublesome at times?"

"Maybe," Kratos teased as he walked towards the double doors leading back inside. "Please be back inside before sunset Lloyd."

Lloyd turned towards Noishe when Kratos disappeared behind the doors. "What am I going to do now, boy? I can't break my word. Dirk would definitely be angry if I did."

Breaking a promise was equivalent to betraying someone's trust, and Lloyd couldn't do that to Kratos.

He couldn't even if he tried.

* * *

Sybak, known for its great university and scientific minds, was too cold and logical for Emil's tastes. He had been here a number of times to visit Richter's parents before they passed away from illness, and since then, Richter had avoided the city like the plague and refused to mention his parents.

Richter had told Emil that even though he was a part of one of the most prominent families- -besides the Four Grand Duke Houses- -he was still treated harshly by the servants of household and even by his paternal grandparents for his half-elf heritage.

Emil hated it that Richter had to go through such pain when he was a small child. He was reluctant to admit that he was somewhat grateful that Aster was there for Richter from his late teens into adulthood.

"You've gotten quiet." Richter spoke up from the desk he was sitting behind. "Did you not want to come with me today?"

Both of them were currently in Richter's old office in the Sybak University. It was simply designed with only two chairs sitting in front of a large oak desk that was covered in layer of dust, have not been touched since Richter resigned as an instructor and had taken over as head of the Abend family.

"Of course I wanted to come with you," Emil replied. "We've barely spent any time together lately with you being busy with the preparation for the expedition."

"It'll be over soon," Richter soothed. "Going to the World Tree and back should be a short trip."

Emil bit his lip at the confidence in Richter's voice. "You sure you don't want to bring more people with you Richter? I mean, just sending you and Aster…"

Emil struggled not to blush when Richter gave him a skeptical look. He was in full rights to worry about his husband.

"It'll be fine Emil," Richter said after a lengthy pause of silence. "Aster and I are more than capable of defending ourselves, and bringing more people would be more of a liability than a helping hand."

"Because they can't defend themselves, right?"

"Exactly. And you wouldn't want them getting hurt, would you?"

"No!" Emil shook his head. "Of course not…I'm just worried for you, Richter. I have a bad feeling about this."

_I have a bad feeling about leaving you two alone for long periods of time. _

Richter stood from the chair and made his way around the desk before stopping in front of Emil. Bending down, he reached forward and kissed Emil on the lips.

"You worry entirely too much," Richter whispered as he pulled away. "I told you that I'm going to be fine and nothing is going to happen between Aster and I."

Emil felt his face heat up in embarrassment. "I-I wasn't implying-!"

"Your eyes tell me everything, Emil, even when you yourself don't want to. Is it so hard to trust your husband?"

"No! I trust you, Richter!" Emil protested, leaning away from the older man. "Don't ever think that I don't-"

"You don't trust Aster," Richter interrupted gently. "You think he's going to steal me away from you, do you not?"

"Why are you asking me all of this?" Emil demanded, feeling as he was being backed into a corner. "You were never concerned with it before."

"I was always concerned with it," Richter countered, reaching forward and caressing Emil's cheek, heating the soft skin. "Duchess Lualdi's ball the other night just proved how serious you felt about it."

Emil couldn't bring himself to say anything to that. He felt greatly relieved that Richter was talking about this now and caring about how he felt.

"I'm sorry," he muttered quietly. "I know I should be more confident of your feelings towards me. But it's so hard to do sometimes, you know? Aster is everything that I'm not and you have so much in common with him-"

"I love _you_, Emil, not Aster. I will admit that I do have lingering feelings for Aster- -no, don't pull away- -you have to understand that I was infatuated with Aster for years before I met you."

"What made you fall in love with me?" Emil asked softly, turning away from Richter's remorseful gaze. "After what had happened?"

"Your kindness, for one." Richter grasped Emil's hands. "You forgave me even after I caused you so much hurt, and even though you didn't trust me at first, you gave me a chance and that was more than most people would do."

Emil had no words to offer Richter after hearing such a confession. He never knew that Richter felt this way, and it was his fault for not asking. Emil couldn't imagine the confusion that Richter was feeling sometimes when Emil had bursts of anger.

"Be careful, okay? There are lots of monsters on the way to the World Tree. I want you back safe and sound and…Aster too."

"I'll be careful," was Richter's amused reply. "After all, I have a wonderful, beautiful husband waiting for me."

Emil could only blush a vivid red to that.

* * *

"How much longer?"

"Another hour, Lloyd, the same exact time when you asked me a minute ago."

"Ah," Lloyd smirked. "If I asked you a minute ago that would mean we have fifty-nine minutes left."

"You have quite the mouth on you when the opportunity arises for you to use it," Kratos drawled sarcastically.

Lloyd laid across the seat and gave Kratos a lazy smile. "You deserved it with all the teasing me you've done these past few days."

"You should blame yourself for being such an easy target."

Lloyd scowled and buried his face against his scarf. He couldn't help it that he was screwing up so much lately. It was hard trying to impress someone like Kratos, who barely showed any emotion unless absolutely necessary.

"What's Flanoir like?"

"It is a very a quiet city, mostly known for the church and its doctors who treats both commoners and nobles for a price."

"Is it true that a summon spirit resides close by?"

Kratos chuckled at the curiosity and excitement in Lloyd's voice. "Those rumors may be true because it is constantly snowing there. Where did you hear that?"

"Professor Raine taught me that." Lloyd grinned as he though of the silver-haired teacher. She would most likely be surprised if she knew he remembered anything about her lessons.

"You miss them."

Lloyd gave Kratos a sad smile. "Yes, very much." He hoped that he wasn't hurting Kratos about admitting this.

To his surprise, Kratos moved to sit next to him, causing him to sit up to give the man room.

"I'm not hurt when you stated that you missed them. It's not wrong for you to feel that way, Lloyd."

Lloyd laid his head against Kratos shoulder, sighing in relief when the older man wrapped a strong arm around his waist. He was happy that the duke wasn't upset about him missing his friends back in Iselia.

"Thank you for saying that," Lloyd whispered against Kratos' shoulder. "I didn't want to seem like I was whining so much. It's just I've never really been away from home-"

"That's understandable," Kratos interrupted quietly. "Your whole world has been turned upside down and you have only had a small say in what's been happening in it and I apologize for that."

"I-it's okay!" Lloyd quickly reassured. "I agreed to this, Kratos, and you've only been doing what you think is best for me and I'm really grateful."

When Kratos' eyes widened with disbelief, Lloyd reached for the older man's hand and grasped it between his. "Really, Kratos. I truly wanted to do this, not only for Dirk, but for me as well."

"Then you can say without a doubt, that you are fond of me?"

Lloyd's face grew hot. "W-well I-"

"Yes," Kratos coaxed gently with a smile. "You are fond of me, correct?"

"Yes, I am," Lloyd responded more firmly. "Is that what you wanted to hear from me all along?"

"Yes and no…"

"Yes and no?" Lloyd repeated, confused. "You didn't want me to admit whatever feelings I have for you, Kratos?"

"Are you sure of those feelings?" Kratos asked. "I don't want you to say those words because that's what I feel for you, and to answer your question, I do want you to say that you love me because without love, this will be nothing but a obligated marriage."

Lloyd shivered at the intense look in Kratos' eyes. He knew that this subject was going to come up one day whether it was him or Kratos who brought it up. Lloyd just wished it wasn't on the trip to Flanoir- -where he couldn't escape.

"I-I don't want this to be an obligated marriage. I never did, but at the beginning you acted like this was just your duty to Dirk and you were cold and impersonal. I _hated_ that, Kratos. You ask if I'm sure about my feelings and I am."

"Very well," Kratos murmured. "I'm going to hold you to what you say from this point on."

"Okay."

The rest of the hour was ridden in silence, and when the carriage entered Flanoir, to Lloyd, was indeed a quiet city connected together by various pathways, and snow was constantly falling and what was already on the ground reached up past his ankles. The driver had dropped them out at a nearby inn just as dawn was approaching.

"No one's out," Lloyd commented.

"Flanoir is mostly empty at this time of the year because of the festival," Kratos spoke up from behind him. "Whoever is remaining in the city would come and pray at the church instead of making the trip to Meltokio."

"Is that where Anna's grave is?" Lloyd asked.

"Yes, right behind it. She loved visiting the church during this time of the year," Kratos explained. His tone was solemn_._ "We'll go say hello when there is enough light."

Lloyd wasn't sure that he wanted to go see Anna now, seeing the flash of pain in Kratos' eyes at the mere mention of her. Not only that, Lloyd felt as though he would be intruding on something very private.

"Kratos?" Lloyd began hesitantly. "Are you sure you want me to go with you to see Anna? I mean, I don't want to intrude on anything."

"Your not intruding, Lloyd. I would like for you to meet her."

"But-"

"No buts, Lloyd," Kratos cut in sharply before his eyes softened. "I'm sure she would like to be introduced to you."

"Okay, I'll go."

The Flanoir Inn was pleasant and warm even at the time of the morning they arrived. Both of them were greeted generously by a young man around Lloyd's age.

"Welcome, my lord and sir, my name is Ivan and I'll be attending to your rooms tonight. Will be that two rooms or…"

"One." Kratos said, successfully ignoring the surprised look that Ivan gave him.

Lloyd firmly kept his gaze to the floor when he felt Ivan's piercing gaze on him. He knew he shouldn't feel the least bit ashamed for sharing the same room with Kratos. If anything he should be looking smug at the thought. But Lloyd had yet to get used to the idea of being with Kratos as a lover, much less a friend and companion.

"Very well." Ivan spoke up after an awkward pause. "If you would follow me, I'll show you to your room."

As they went up the stairs, Lloyd smiled when a pair of children whirled past them on the wooden stairs. The inn was more noisy than he would anticipated, and it didn't look like something Kratos would pick on a daily basis. They made it to the second floor, and to the last door to the left. Ivan turned and bowed his head. "This is your room, if you need anything please alert one of our staff."

"Thank you," Kratos said, opening the door to allow Lloyd to go first and then closing the door behind them.

The room was simply furnished, with a king sized bed and a fireplace that was low enough to warm the entire room and close by, another door led to what was most likely a moderately sized washroom.

_Well, this is new_, Lloyd thought with a shiver,_ sharing a bed with Kratos, but why didn't he get two rooms? _

"Because I didn't want to," Kratos spoke up, setting his bags down next to the bed.

"Huh?"

Kratos sent him a sly smirk while removing his cloak and setting it on the chair next to the bed. "I told you before that your face reveals everything and you're probably wondering why I didn't get us separate rooms, correct?"

"That's correct. I wish you would've checked with me first, though…"

"Apologies," Kratos said softly. "I can change the arrangement if you wish…"

"No." Lloyd shook his head, giving Kratos a weak smile. "It's fine, it would be strange to go back downstairs and ask the front desk for another room and so early at that."

Staring at the bed Kratos sat on, Lloyd felt anxiety creep into his chest. He wasn't disgusted at the thought of sleeping in the same bed as Kratos. Lloyd knew that he was going to have to start sleeping in the same room eventually. It was the thought that Kratos was more sexually experienced than he that made Lloyd into the quivering mess he was right now.

Being from a small village, Lloyd didn't have any real experiences dealing with sexuality, and no one was really outright affectionate in public. Raine talked about it, sure, but he was too busy daydreaming to actually pay attention to whatever she was saying at the time.

Hearing the sound of sheets ruffling, Lloyd's head snapped up to see Kratos fluffing the pillows and adjusting the sheets back.

"What are you doing?" Lloyd asked shakily. He ignored the fact that he was starting to break into a nervous sweat- -regardless of the fact it was not that hot in the room.

Kratos raised an eyebrow at him. "I'm getting ready for bed. It's close to dawn and I would like to get a few hours of sleep."

Lloyd watched as Kratos gracefully climbed into the bed and scooted to the other side, leaving enough room for him.

"Are you coming to bed?" Kratos asked expectedly. "I'm sure you're tired from the long ride here."

Oh, Martel. Lloyd felt a blush warm his cheeks at the sight of Kratos' muscled arms laying against the tan blankets. He felt so conflicted about this situation! One side of him wanted to jump in and snuggle with Kratos- -who wouldn't?- -and another side wanted to hide.

"Lloyd?" Kratos rose up allowing the blanket slide off and reveal his naked chest. "Are you alright? You've gotten pale."

"Washroom!" Lloyd blurted out quickly, backing towards it, all the while keeping his gaze away from Kratos' chest. "I have to go to the washroom. I'll be right back!"

Ignoring Kratos' concerned and piercing gaze, Lloyd quickly entered the small room and shut the door behind him. Blowing out a silent breath of relief, Lloyd slid down the door and hit the floor, not minding the slight pain of his knees hitting the hard wood.

What was he going to do now? He couldn't stay in here forever, and he knew Kratos wasn't going to let him sleep on the floor.

**_What's wrong with sleeping next to Kratos?_**his mind whispered. **_Do you know how lucky you are to be engaged to_**that?

Lloyd resisted the temptation to bang his head against the sink to knock himself out and escape his sudden traitorous thoughts.

Taking a deep breath, Lloyd slowly stood up using the doorknob as leverage and began to remove his outer clothing. He couldn't very well come out of the small washroom without something off. If he didn't, he would have to explain to Kratos why he had rushed into the washroom so suddenly.

The very thought of doing that was humiliating.

Stripping off his cloak and gloves, he sat down at the edge of the tub and slid off his boots, wiggling his socked feet as he did so. Now only left in his trousers and shirt, Lloyd stared at the door nervously. If he stayed in here too long Kratos would-

"Lloyd," Kratos smooth, patient voice came through the thin wood. "Are you coming out anytime soon?"

"Yes!" Lloyd called back weakly, breaking out into a nervous sweat again. "I'm just changing."

"Changing?" Kratos voice came back bemused. "You didn't rush in with anything in your arms."

"I'm just taking off what I have!" He felt a warmth rush to his face at the double-meaning of his words.

"You have no plans of coming out of there naked, do you?" At this point Kratos' voice absolutely _brimmed_ with dark amusement.

"_No!" _Lloyd screeched. He would admit it that he actually did screech like a little girl. He had every right to because of what that ridiculous and suddenly flirtatious man on the other side of the door was saying.

"Very well, take your time."

Lloyd listened closely as Kratos footsteps faded away under the creaking of the wooden floors. Sliding off the tub, he gathered his cloak, glove and boots in one hand and made his way out.

Opening the door, Lloyd bumped into a pale chest. He closed his eyes and released a silent groan of dismay before slowly raising his face to Kratos' calm ruby-eyed gaze staring at him intently.

"I thought you were going to bed," Lloyd muttered, as he stepped back and allowed himself and Kratos some breathing room.

"I thought you would want something to change into." Kratos handed him a small bundle of clothing. "Those that you have on are not the most comfortable."

"What about you?" Lloyd questioned, taking the bundle and pressing it against his chest. "You're not changing?"

"I will only be sleeping for four hours before I leave and take care of some errands, and I'm used to sleeping in uncomfortable clothes."

For once, Lloyd didn't pry about that particular detail, he just nodded in thanks and stepped back into the dressing room and closing the door behind him, he set the bundle of clothing on the sink and began unbuttoning the stiff shirt before sliding on and buttoning up a black silk shirt and quickly doing the same with his pants.

When he opened the door, he saw Kratos already back in bed with his back turned.

_Probably asleep. _

Lloyd slowly crawled into the bed and carefully pulled some of the blankets in his direction before turning his back to Kratos as well.

It wasn't as awkward as he thought it would it be-

Lloyd yelped when a strong arm wrapped around his waist and pulled him back against a strong chest.

"I thought you were sleep!" Lloyd wailed. Slumping in the older man's arms, he felt more than heard Kratos' chuckle. Lloyd fought not to turn away and smack what was most likely a smug expression on Kratos' face.

"You just assumed I was sleeping because my back was turned."

Lloyd, at this point, refused to tell Kratos that was he right about his assumptions. It would just make the duke even more smug than usual.

"I'm going to sleep," he muttered, when he tried to scoot away, Kratos' arms tightened themselves even further around his waist.

"If you move further away, you'll most likely fall of the bed and bruise yourself. It would be best if we stayed close to each other. This is a small bed."

Lloyd let out a small laugh and moved closer to Kratos, shivering slightly at the warmth the duke provided. "Is that your way of telling me you want to cuddle with me?"

"Take it however you wish," Kratos replied after a minute. "Rest."

As Lloyd fell into a comfortable slumber, he could have sworn that he felt Kratos lips brush against his forehead.

Walking through Flanoir's streets filled Kratos with an undesirable nostalgia, of the times he and Anna came here on the last day of the festival to pray to Martel for a happy spring and hopefully a child.

Never would he have ever thought he would be walking these streets alone or with a mischievous fox like Lloyd Irving.

To think that the young man had found out about Pronyma and Zelos' plans had amazed and angered Kratos, who had every intention to keep Lloyd out of the crossfire. Kratos had no desire to get Regal nor Sheena involved in this mess as well.

Sheena was going to be upset at the betrayal in trust with Zelos, and Regal would most likely be angry that he hadn't come to the president for help and angry at Zelos and Alice for planning the whole fiasco.

At this point, Kratos saw this as nothing but an inconvenience and an interference with his plans with Lloyd and other matters he usually attended to.

"It's not like you to get distracted and let your guard down, Kratos," a silky voice called from behind.

Kratos glanced over his shoulder to see Yuan leaning against the gates of the church.

"You're late," Kratos reprimanded, striding towards his friend. "You were supposed to be here the previous day."

"And you were supposed to be out here two hours ago," Yuan said nonchalantly. "Cuddling with your fiancé to escape the cold?"

"I merely got him settled in. You know I don't need that much or any sleep."

"You'll be doing more than _sleeping_ after you two find common ground." Yuan purred darkly. "I'm sure Lloyd would-"

"Enough," Kratos cut in sharply, sending Yuan a cold glare. "Have you the information I requested?"

"Yes, from what I told you three weeks prior, Zelos is indeed after your Aionis stone but turns out he wants to use it for his sister."

"Lady Seles Wilder? Why?"

"You know of how frail Lady Wilder is," Yuan informed him grimly. "Zelos had brought many doctors in, even from Flanoir itself, but to no avail. Nothing is working for her, Kratos."

"She is dying." Kratos felt sympathy towards Seles and Zelos, but it was no excuse to work with the Desian Faction.

"I'm afraid so, and it seems she contracted the same disease as Viscount Abend's parents and your Anna did."

Kratos felt cold, clammy hands wrap around his heart at Yuan's words. "How is that possible? The disease was cleared out by a team that Earl Grants headed."

"That may be so," Yuan agreed softly. "But it seems some the lingering traces of the disease still exists and Seles caught it on her way back from her yearly pilgrimage."

"How is her condition?"

Yuan sighed heavily before shifting his feet and continuing. "The miasma has not only coated her lungs but also filled them. It also affected her eyes, making her partially blind and unfortunately, her heart has been affected as well."

"She is a very strong woman, though it's surprising that she is still alive."

Yuan snorted bitterly. "Indeed, Martel has been watching over her."

Pushing the pity he had for Seles' condition to the back of his mind, Kratos continued. "What of Pronyma?"

"That woman is a _disgrace _to her fellow half-elves," Yuan hissed venomously. "It seems she is after the Pope's position within the church of Martel, she intends to turn the people against you because of your angel status, therefore backing the Pope into a corner."

"The Pope will convince the King to pull my family from the Grand Duke Houses," Kratos finished. "You figured out her objective but what of the end result?"

"The end result will be the Age of the Half-Elves. Your family is next to power to the King. If she knocks you and the other houses out of the running and gains the position of the Pope, her next logical step is to become Queen of Tethe'alla."

"Such a well calculated plan," Kratos said with a dark smirk.

"You're not worried that she's trying to usurp you or the King?" Yuan asked with an raised eyebrow.

"To an extent," Kratos admitted reluctantly. "I'm more worried for Lloyd. It seems that he overheard an conversation between Zelos and Pronyma at the festival."

Yuan chuckled at the disgruntled expression Kratos wore. "The young one doing a little investigating of his own?"

"He worries," Kratos said bluntly. "I do not want Lloyd involved in this matter, the Desian Faction's actions are starting to get more radical."

"They are throwing caution to the wind. Peacefully protesting isn't swaying the people's minds, but fear and truth certainly will." Yuan pinned Kratos with an intense gaze. "Tell me, Kratos, what do you plan to do now?"

"I'm going to wait for awhile longer. If they are getting impatient with how slow things are progressing then I won't need to make a move before they do."

"It seems that your wedding will most likely be put on an indefinite hold."

"Indeed." Kratos' agreement was somber.

It would also mean that he wouldn't be making that trip to Altamira and Iselia like he promised.

* * *

When Lloyd woke, the sun was high in the sky and he could hear the muted chatters of the other patrons in the inn.

Rolling over, he was surprised when his hand hit empty space and cold sheets. Kratos had most likely left not even two hours after he had fallen asleep. He wondered if he was always going to wake up alone.

_Better get used to this if I am, then. _

Sitting up, Lloyd stretched, releasing a moan of relief when the bones in his back and neck cracked. He slid off the bed and shivered when his bare feet hit the cold floor, and grabbing a simple pair of trouser and shirt, Lloyd walked into the washroom and quickly showered and dressed.

When he came back out there was a plate of food and a note sitting on a small tray. He grabbed the note first, and reading over it, smiled at its contents.

_Lloyd. _

_When you wake up, I'll be gone. As I've told you, I have a few errands to attend to. When you've finished eating and dressing, meet me in front of the church. _

_Kratos. _

"Short and to the point," Lloyd murmured, dropping the note back beside the plate. "Better not keep him waiting."

Just grabbing a piece of toast and gulping down the orange juice, Lloyd hauled on his boots, gloves, and cloak from the previous night and raced down the stairs and passed a surprised Ivan who was walking with his hands full.

Leaving the inn, Lloyd was overwhelmed by the sheer number of people heading to and from the church.

_Must be people coming home from the festival. _

Pushing his way through the crowds and apologizing to some that he accidently bumped into, Lloyd smiled when he spotted Kratos, but that smile suddenly froze when he spotted a slim woman in a white lab coat talking to the duke with an expression of a woman in love. He nearly let out a hiss when the woman reached over and laid her hand on Kratos' strong arm, and leaned a little closer for Lloyd's comfort.

_Who is she!_

Before Lloyd explored the thought further, Kratos spotted him and calmly waved him over. When he didn't move, Kratos raised an eyebrow and motioned for him to come over again.

Lloyd gritted his teeth and made his way through the small crowd gathered near the church steps, and this time he didn't bother to apologize to any of them.

"Good morning," Kratos spoke once Lloyd was close enough.

"Good morning," Lloyd tartly replied, causing the woman next to him to look at him strangely.

"Lloyd, this is Kate, one of the researchers on Aster and Richter's team. Kate, this is Lloyd Irving, my fiancé."

"Oh, so you're Lloyd," Kate breathed. "I've heard a lot about you from Richter. It's nice too finally meet you."

Lloyd refrained from commenting that he didn't think it was pleasure at all meeting Kate, especially since she was making such goo-goo eyes at Kratos.

"It's nice to meet you as well, Miss Kate," Lloyd said with a fake smile.

"Well," Kate gave the both of them an uneasy smile, "I'd best be going, I have to get back to Meltokio before Richter and Aster do."

"They left for the World Tree already?" Lloyd asked.

"Yes!" Kate eyes glowed with excitement. "I wish I could've accompanied them but they promised me they would give a full detailed report when they returned."

"Which I would be looking forward to hearing as well," Kratos put in. "If you'll excuse us, Kate. Lloyd and I have some business to attend to."

"Oh! Yes, of course." She bowed her head to Kratos. "It was nice talking to you again, Lord Aurion. May Martel bless you and you as well, Lloyd."

Lloyd crossed his arms and leaned against the wall next to the church entrance. "The same goes to you Miss Kate."

"I have done something to upset you?" Kratos asked quietly once Kate was out of earshot.

"No, you haven't done anything."

"No," Kratos reached forward and grasped his hand, "I believe I have, since that attitude you just displayed is one I haven't seen on you."

Lloyd adverted his eyes from Kratos' attentive gaze. "I'd prefer if we'd talk about it later."

Kratos nodded his head and led Lloyd through the church and to the cemetery. Lloyd didn't think the cemetery would be so small, only holding to what he guessed was twenty graves.

"I wanted to bury her in my family tomb, but she insisted that it be here," Kratos commented quietly. "I didn't know if it was because she liked the atmosphere of the church or just because she was a stubborn woman."

They stopped at the very center of the small cemetery. The grave they stood in front of was very beautiful and made of marble with jasmine etched into the stone and the letters craved with onyx.

_Here lies Anna Aurion. _

_Loving wife, duchess, and friend. May she always be remembered for her compassion and kindness. _

"Hello, Anna." Lloyd's heart twisted at the pain and love he heard in Kratos' voice. "I have someone to introduce you to."

"Hello, Anna," Lloyd began sheepishly "I'm Lloyd. Lloyd Irving. I've heard a lot about you from Emil and a little from Kratos."

Lloyd bent down and traced the jasmine etched into the stone before continuing, all too aware of the man standing next to him. "Kratos hasn't opened up to me very well yet, but I'm working on it. Emil told me you had the same problem."

"Emil talks too much," Kratos muttered unhappily.

"Kratos is awfully teasing when he does open up though," Lloyd continued as he if didn't hear the duke. "The things that he said…"

"As you can see Anna," Kratos cut in smoothly, "Lloyd, here, is full of energy and enthusiasm."

"That's just means I'm troublesome and amusing at points," Lloyd snickered.

"Lord Aurion! Lord Aurion!"

Lloyd turned to see Kate running towards them with a panicked expression.

"Kate," Kratos said. "What's the matter?"

"You must come back to Meltokio immediately!" Kate panted. "It's Richter and Aster!"

"They're back already?" Lloyd questioned bewildered.

"Kate?" Kratos asked again firmly. "_What_ happened?"

"Lord Aurion," Kate sobbed falling to her knees unexpectedly, "Aster is dead!"

* * *

A/N : Aster is gone! What happened? Stay tuned to find out.


	15. Chapter 15

Valkyria : Sorry for the wait everyone! Hope you enjoy the chapter!

Current Song : Blue Bird by Ikimonogakari

Disclaimer : I claim no rights to the game/manga/anime Tales of Symphonia.

* * *

"_We take a lot of things for granted in life. Especially our friends and family. I will never forget the look of devastation and loss on Emil's face when I saw him again. He was not only mourning the death of Aster, but the departure of the tentative marriage that he had." _

_- Lloyd Irving-Aurion. _

Chapter Fifteen : End of a Thought.

Lloyd felt a clammy hand wrap around his heart at Kate's words. He wanted to pinch himself to make sure that he had correctly heard what she had said.

Kratos walked swiftly to Kate and helped her to her feet. "I need you to take a deep breath, and tell me what happened exactly."

Kate shook her head. "I don't know the full details." She sniffed and released a shaky sob before continuing. "I was packing my things, and getting ready to go back to Meltokio when one of my colleagues burst into my room and told me about Aster."

"They gave you no other information about Aster's death?" Kratos pressed. "What of Richter?"

A shaky smile appeared on Kate's trembling lips. "Lord Abend has returned home safely, but it is only a matter of time before Earl Grants' family comes knocking on his door asking about what happened."

Kratos turned back to him with a grim expression. "It is time for us to depart. Go back to the inn and retreive our belongings. I will join you shortly."

Ignoring the questions he had about Richter's welfare, Lloyd rushed out of the graveyard and out of the church. He ignored the crying protests of the people he bumped into on the way. Lloyd couldn't believe that this was happening, and more importantly, he didn't want to think about how this would affect Emil's and Richter's marriage in the long run. Envisioning Emil's tear-streaked face pressed Lloyd to run even faster. He had to get back to Emil to make sure that he was going to be okay. Thankfully, the carriage was waiting and ready when he finally arrived back to the inn.

"Sir Irving?" The driver looked around. "Where is Lord Aurion?"

"He is still at the church," Lloyd panted out. "Something has happened in Meltokio. We're leaving immediately."

"Yes, milord. I know that Lord Aurion likes to leave the follow morning, so I took the liberty of gathering your things. Please climb aboard and we will pick up Lord Aurion."

Lloyd had a moment to situate himself in the carriage before it lurched forward. He grabbed onto the latch of the door as the carriage took a sharp turn to the left, and he managed to sit upright by the time the carriage jerked to a stop. Then the door swung open and Kratos climbed in and shut the door behind him. Lloyd waited for the carriage to start moving again before speaking.

"Is Kate going to be okay?"

"She is going to be fine," Kratos replied, giving Lloyd a somber look. "We are heading directly for the Abend estate. I want to you to deal with Emil while I take care of Richter."

"Y-yes, of course I will." He wanted nothing more than to make sure that Emil was okay, physically and mentally.

"Kratos?" Lloyd whispered, scooting closer to the duke. "What's going to happen to Richter?"

"Nothing," Kratos replied firmly as he wrapped his arm around Lloyd. "Whatever occurred at the World Tree will be explained thoroughly to Aster's family."

"Will it really be that easy?" Lloyd reached up and clutched Kratos' cloak. "Richter is a half-elf and Emil is of common heritage. Do you really believe that they are going to get away with no blame?"

"Why shouldn't they?" Kratos frowned heavily at the thought. "Neither of them have done anything wrong, and if the Grants family decides to point the blame towards anyone then it will be me."

"You?" Lloyd blinked in confusion for a moment before it all clicked into place. Kratos was one of the main sponsors for the expedition. It was the duke's responsibility to make sure that all of the preparations for the trip were done perfectly.

"They can't..!" Lloyd stammered helplessly. "You aren't thinking of taking the fall for this are you?"

"If need be, then, yes," Kratos replied heavily. "I do not know what occurred during the expedition, but when this gets out…if it hasn't already…then I will be taking full responsibility."

"That's stupid!" Lloyd blurted out indignantly. He ignored the look of disapproval Kratos gave him and continued relentlessly. "None of this is your fault, Kratos! I am not going to stand by and let you take the fall for -"

"You will let Richter and Emil face this alone then?"

"No!" Lloyd shook his head and looked up at the duke with pained eyes. "I don't want anyone getting hurt or blamed for this! Whatever happened at the World Tree must have been an accident. There has to be some logical explanation to this."

"I'm sure that there is one." Kratos ran his hand through Lloyd's hair in an attempt to comfort him. "I need for you to calm down-"

"I will not calm down." Lloyd reached up and pulled Kratos' hand out of his hair, refusing to be easily assuaged. "Not until you tell me that you are not going to take full responsibility for this."

"Lloyd…"

But Lloyd ignored the warning in Kartos' voice and glared sternly at him. "_Promise me, _Kratos Aurion."

Kratos stared at him for a moment before nodding once. "I will do the best I can, Lloyd."

The remainder of the carriage ride was taken in brooding silence. Lloyd crossed his arms across his chest and leaned his head back against the seat. Lloyd didn't think he could prepare enough for what he was most likely going to see when they arrived at the Abend's estate.

All he could do was be strong for Richter and Emil in lieu of the trials they would most likely have ahead of them.

* * *

Harsh coughs echoed throughout the adequate sized room within the Southeast Abby. Zelos reached over and gently patted his sister on the back.

"Seles," Zelos murmured as he grabbed a glass of water from the bedside table. "Here. It's not much, but it'll help your throat."

Seles' frail hand reached forward and took the offered glass. "Thank you, Zelos."

Zelos forced down a heavy sigh when he saw his sister flinch painfully as she swallowed down the water, and he forced his lips into a smile when Seles turned to him with nearly blank gray eyes.

"How was the festival this year?"

Seles Wilder was a frail young woman of twenty years with pale sickly skin due to her illness. Her slender frame had shrunk, causing the simple white dress she donned to hang off her. Her fiery red hair was pulled into a low ponytail.

"It went very well." Zelos pressed a kiss against the pale, slightly sweaty forehead. "There were more people than usual this year."

"Did you say your prayers to the Goddess Martel?"

"Yes-"

"Liar." Seles chided gently, she reached up to cover her mouth as another coughing fit erupted. Zelos dug into his coat pocket to retrieve a handkerchief to wipe his sister's mouth when she was finished.

Zelos pulled the cloth away and winced at the mixture of solid miasma and blood. He smoothed his features when Seles turned to him with bitter, almost blank eyes.

"Disgusting, isn't it?"

"No." Zelos replied firmly. "There is nothing disgusting about you, Seles."

"How is Sheena?" Seles smiled at her brother, dropping the subject for the time being. "Are you ready to have children yet?"

"Ah." Zelos let a bout of nervous laughter at the question. "No, not yet. I want to be absolutely ready when I bring mini Sheena's and Zelos's into the world."

Three solid knocks coming from the door interrupted anything Seles was going to say. Zelos reached forward and wrapped his arms around his sister.

"That's my cue to go." Rising from the bed, Zelos placed another kiss against his sister's forehead. "Be well, Seles."

"You as well. And Zelos….?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

Zelos twisted the knob to the wooden door. "I love you, too. I will come visit again soon." He walked through and shut the door quietly behind him.

"She will not last long," Pronyma murmured next to him, her golden eyes sympathetic. "Is this why you want the Aionis?"

"Why does it matter to you?" Zelos scowled at the cardinal. "You're going to get what you want thanks to Alice and Decus giving you funds for your plans. Have you completed everything that I have asked of you?"

"Yes. The Pope is aware that we know of his half-elf daughter, Kate, and his little side-project."

"And?"

"It seems that the Pope has his own whimsical plans about becoming King of Tethe'alla." Pronyma smirked at Zelos. "The man has been poisoning the king little by little. You are aware that the King has taken ill as of late?"

"It is well-known secret among the Four Grand Houses," Zelos replied. "That is why Kratos has taken more responsibilities."

"No wonder you despise him," Pronyma drawled. "He's such a little goody two-shoes."

"He has his secrets and his sins just like everyone else. I want you to keep the pressure on the Pope and have him convince the King to extinguish the Aurion family from the Four Grand Houses."

"That should not be a problem, the Pope is nothing but a scheming coward. Where do you wish to meet next?"

"Tethe'alla Bridge. I do not want Sheena to become suspicious of my actions so I will have to stick close to the city."

"You act as if she would stab you in the chest if she were to find out about this."

"She would."

The bitter smirk on Zelos told Pronyma that he was far from joking.

* * *

Lloyd and Kratos had managed to make it back to Meltokio when the sun was at mid-point in the sky. Kratos commanded the driver to take them to the Abend estate instead of home.

"You said that the Grants family might be there," Lloyd murmured, twisting his cloak anxiously. "What are you going to tell them?"

"I doubt I will be able to tell them anything in the midst of their grief," Kratos replied bluntly. "As I have stated before, they will point the finger at someone."

Kratos leaned down and brushed his lips against Lloyd's forehead. "You need not worry about the Grants, Lloyd. The only thing I want you to worry about is Emil's welfare. He will need a friend more than ever."

"Don't tell me not to worry," Lloyd shivered at the feel of the older man's lips. "This is something that I can't _not _be worried about."

The carriage lurched to a stop, ending their conversation. Lloyd pulled the curtain aside to see a man with green and silver armor talking to the driver.

"Who are they?" Lloyd murmured. Kratos shift before leaning over Lloyd's shoulder to glance outside.

"Papal Knights," Kratos muttered into his ear. "They belong to the Church of Martel. I have no clue as to why they would be here."

"Aster was an Earl, right?" He winced at the past tense of his words. "His rank isn't high enough to warrant this kind of attention, is it?"

"No," Kratos replied honestly. "It's the fact that Richter is a half-elf that has caught the Pope's attention. He is not very fond of them even though some of them hold high positions."

"How could such a prejudiced man get a high position within the church?"

"That, Lloyd, will be a question forever unanswered." Kratos pulled away. "We're getting out here."

Kratos gave him enough room to unlatch the door and climb out, and wrapping the cloaks tighter around themselves, both men made their way to the open black gates of the Abend estate.

"Lord Aurion!" one of the Papal Knights called out. "We have been waiting for your arrival."

"I thank you for keeping the situation calm, but your services are no longer needed."

If Lloyd could see the knight's face then it would most likely be one of offense and anger at being so easily dismissed.

The Papal Knight spoke again, the tone of his voice arrogant. "We have orders from the Pope that we are to remain here until the Grants family arrives."

Kratos' ruby eyes flashed dangerously, and he placed a hand on Lloyd's shoulder. "Then let us pass so that we may see Lord Abend."

Armor clinked as the knight cleared the path. "Please do not leave the premises until Earl Grants' remaining family arrives, Lord Aurion. They will be expecting an explanation from either you or Lord Abend."

Kratos sent the armored knight one last glare before nudging Lloyd forward through the black gates.

As they walked up the stone pathway, Lloyd noticed that the Abend estate was slightly smaller than Kratos' manor with two stories instead of three, tall, stone columns covered the large pane windows. Lloyd thought the place looked very homely for someone of Emil and Richter's rank.

Kratos pushed the barely cracked door open and quietly stepped inside. A frown marred his face when he spotted no one in the darkened foyer.

"Where is everyone?" Lloyd muttered, he didn't bother to hide the worry in his voice. He turned towards Kratos. "Do you know where Emil might be?"

Kratos glanced at the winding stairway leading to the second floor. "Richter is most likely in his office-"

"Lord Aurion?" An old, throaty voice called from behind them. Lloyd glanced over his shoulder to see a tall, tanned man watching them with amber eyes_._

_"_Wulfric?" Kratos strolled towards the man. "Where are Richter and Emil?"

Wulfric's eyes narrowed in pain. "Lord Abend has locked himself in his office, and Lord Abend-Castagnier is currently in the gardens."

"Will you take me to him?" Lloyd pleaded. "I don't want him to be alone right now."

Wulfric's eyes softened at Lloyd's admission. "He is not alone, Sir Irving. Lady Lualdi is with him at the moment, but I am positive that he would not mind another dear friend at his side."

"Please take Lloyd to Emil," Kratos requested, the duke started towards the staircase. "I will handle Richter. Earl Grants' family members should be here in a short while, Wulfric. I want you to only send his mother and father to Richter's office, but keep the remaining members in the drawing room."

Wulfric bowed his head. "Yes, Lord Aurion." The old man turned to Lloyd. "Shall I escort you to the gardens, Sir Irving?"

"Yes, please."

Wulfric lead him out of the foyer and down several winding hallways, most of them decorated in rich gold and reds.

"Where is everyone?"

Wulfric glanced over his shoulder. "They are in the servant's quarters. I ordered them to remain in their rooms for the time being. We have not given each other proper introductions yet, have we? I am Wulfric Cross, head butler to the Abend family."

"Lloyd. Lloyd Irving of Iselia."

"Lord Abend-Castagnier has told me all about you, Sir Irving. He has Lady Lualdi for a friend as well, but from the tone of the young lord's voice, I assume that he prefers you in some levels."

Lloyd couldn't help but smile at the butler's way of telling him that Emil thought him a better friend than Marta.

Wulfric lead him down another hallway before coming to a stop at a closed white door. "This leads to the garden. I sincerely hope that you can help the young lord, Sir Irving."

"I will do the best I can. Thank you, Wulfic."

As Lloyd opened the door leading to the gardens, he would later realize that his best would not be good enough.

* * *

A/N : Thanks for reading! See you soon!


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer : We claim no rights to the game/manga/anime of Tales of Symphonia.

Current Song : God and Man -Vocal Version- by Donna Burke

Beta'd by : Jan Lee

Thanks for Reading!

* * *

"_Losing someone can be difficult to accept. There are those who eventually move on and keep that person close their heart and never forget, and there are those few who grieve endlessly." _

_- Lloyd Irving-Aurion. _

**Chapter Sixteen : Sorrow.**

Emil's heartbroken sobs met Lloyd's ears the moment he stepped into the frozen courtyard. His eyes spotted his friend and Marta huddled together on a stone bench near the fountain.

Trying not to make a sound, Lloyd made his way to his younger, distraught friend and laid his hand on the shaking shoulder when he was close enough.

His gloved hand was wrenched away when Emil turned to face him, Lloyd's heart cracked when Emil's face crumbled up again and another sob escaped his lips.

He quickly wrapped his arms around Emil tightly and buried his face into the Emil's snow dusted hair_._

Hearing the rustling of cloth, Lloyd looked up to see Marta rising from the bench, her own blue eyes bloodshot from crying.

Marta leaned down and laid her hand on Emil's shoulder for a moment before walking towards the entrance of the courtyard.

"Emil," Lloyd murmured, stroking the pale man's back, "shhhhh, Emil."

Lloyd continued rubbing his hand on Emil's back, trying his best to calm down his distraught friend.

To Lloyd's immense relief, Emil's sobs eventually turned to sniffles. He gently grabbed Emil's shoulders and pulled him away to take a good, hard look at his friend.

Emil's once cheerful light green eyes were bloodshot, and the last few tears were trailing down his flushed face.

Lloyd cupped Emil's face in his hands and gave him a small, sad smile. "It's going to be okay, Emil."

Emil sniffed and hiccupped. "I-It's not, L-Lloyd. I-It's not going to b-be okay. He's gone! Aster is gone!"

"I know, Emil, I know," Lloyd whispered, "but you have to be strong, not only for Richter but for yourself as well."

Emil sniffed again and pulled Lloyd's hands away from his face. "I..wish that was as easy as it sounds."

Lloyd pulled his lips into a weak grin at the bitterness he heard in his friend's voice. "When are things ever as easy as they sound?"

Both young men fell into a tense, awkward silence as Lloyd tried find something comforting to say to Emil. He understood what Emil was going through, that much was true. He knew how it felt to lose someone important to him.

Thinking of Dirk still made his heart twist and stomach drop. He missed his adoptive father everyday, but he knew the dwarf would knock him on the head if he knew that he was wallowing in self-pity.

"Emil," Lloyd began firmly, making sure he had Emil's full attention. "I need to know what happened at the World Tree."

"Aster-"

Lloyd shook his head, interrupting the young lord's words. "Do you know how Aster died?"

Emil eyebrows furrowed at the question and he slowly shook his head. "No, no, I don't know how Aster died. I just…"

Lloyd frowned at the response. "Aster's family should be arriving soon and I assume that Richter will not be in the best shape to explain what happened at the World Tree."

"No," Emil muttered low enough that Lloyd had to strain his ears to hear it. "He won't."

"Would you mind telling me what happened when Richter came home? Did he say anything to you?"

"He…" Emil swallowed hard and pressed on. "He just said that Aster was dead and everything was over."

"Everything was over?"

Emil shook his head, his green eyes showing his confusion and pain clearly. "I don't know what he meant when he said that. I just remember the wild look in his eyes when he came home. I asked him what happened and the only thing he said was that Aster was dead and everything was over."

Lloyd bit back the urge to take Emil into his arms. He couldn't possibly understand how terrified Emil must have been when Richter suddenly stormed into their home and started spouting out those words.

"I…" Lloyd swallowed and grasped Emil's gloved hand in his own. "I wish that I could tell you that everything is going to be all right, but then I would be lying to you and what kind of friend would I be then?"

"You are a good friend, Lloyd." Emil pulled his hand out of Lloyd's grasp and pulled his lips into a wide smile. "You rushed here to see how I was and you're being honest with me. I know that Marta tried her best, but she didn't she give me what I needed to hear."

"And what's that?"

Emil released a bitter laugh at the question before replying. "You said that everything isn't going to be okay, and you're right, it isn't going to be okay. Not for a long time."

A subtle cough drew both young men's attention to the courtyard entrance where an apologetic Wulfric stood.

"My Lords? The Grants family have arrived and they want to see someone immediately."

Emil wiped his face and brushed the snow off his clothing before rising from the seat gracefully. Emil turned to Lloyd with a empty grin that made Lloyd's heart break.

"Time to face the music."

* * *

The sight of broken glass, knocked over ink bottles, and scattered papers did not surprise Kratos as he stepped into Richter's office.

Kratos closed the door behind him and stepped further in the office. Looking around, he spotted Richter sitting in the corner by the open windows with his face buried into his black gloves.

"Richter?" Kratos called out, stepping closer to the Viscount. "Richter?"

Kratos bent down and placed a hand on the younger lord's shoulder and shook him. "Richter? Can you hear me?"

Kratos moved back when Richter slowly removed his hands off his face. He sucked in a sharp breath when blank, emerald eyes stared back at him. Those were the same eyes that he had when Anna died, and he didn't like to see that look on someone he consider a good friend.

He snapped his fingers in front of the Viscount's face multiple times. "Richter? Richter! Snap out of it!"

"…gone," Richter finally murmured. "He's gone."

Kratos pushed back the sympathy he felt for Richter and grabbed his chin roughly. "Richter? I need you to snap out of this and tell me what happened at the World Tree."

Several moments ticked by before Richter whispered. "Ratatosk."

Kratos' narrowed his eyes at the whispered word. Ratatosk- -the Lord of All Monsters and the current summon spirit of the World Tree.

"Lord Ratatosk is Aster's murderer…?"

Richter's eyes slowly came back from their blank sight and the Viscount nodded his head. Kratos released Richter's chin and helped the man up.

"Ratatosk murdered Aster? Why?"

"He said something about betraying him, and then he killed Aster in a fit of rage. I attacked him and reduced him to his core form before one of his guardians, Tenebrae, took him away."

"I see, and you returned here shortly after?"

"Yes…-Emil?" Richter suddenly grabbed his shoulders. "Where is Emil? Is he all right?"

"Lloyd is taking care of Emil for now, calm down." Taking the Viscount's hands off his shoulders, Kratos continued, "I know this is going to sound cruel, Richter, but where is Aster's body?"

"It…it is mostly likely still in the World Tree." a look of understanding flickered across Richter's features. "Have the Grants arrived?"

"I do not know," Kratos replied heavily. "I told Wulfric to inform me the moment they arrive-"

Three solid knocks banged on the door before Wulfric's voice penetrated the thick wood. "Lord Abend? Lord Aurion? The Grants have arrived and the wish to see the both of you immediately."

"Come," Kratos said solemnly. "There is some explaining to be done."

* * *

"Where is he? Where are you hiding him? "

Lloyd flinched at the piercing scream that Countess Grants, Aster's sister, let out. He could only watch as the slender woman paced back and forth in the foyer like a restless animal.

"Veronica…" Emil began from beside him.

Veronica halted in her pacing and pinned Emil down with an icy glare. "It is Lady Grants to you, Lord Castagnier-Abend. Do not dare share such familiarity with me."

"Hey!" Lloyd started firmly, "I am sorry for your loss, Lady Grants, but do not lash at those who are not at fault."

"Not at fault," Veronica mocked snidely, staring Lloyd down, "then tell me, _sir_, who will take the blame for this? Who will be punished for my brother's death?"

Lloyd opened his mouth to reply, but snapped it shut when he saw the pain in Lady Grants' eyes. Seeing that made him realize that she was merely lashing out in her grief. Not knowing what happened to your sibling would make anyone angry.

"Lady Grants," Emil said, and Lloyd noticed that his voice was more confident than his last attempt. "I am truly sorry for you loss, but I am sure that my husband will have an explanation for what has happened to Aster. He was like a brother to me as well, so I do understand some of the pain that you are experiencing."

"Indeed," Kratos' smooth voice came from behind them, all three of them turned to see the duke coming down the stairs with Richter in tow. "We all feel the loss of Aster's death."

"Duke Aurion," Veronica greeted coldly. "I trust you and Lord Abend have an explanation for my brother's abrupt passing?"

"Lady Veronica Grants," Kratos greeted with same coldness that the woman displayed. "We intend to give the entire story of Aster's passing, but may I ask, where is your mother and father?"

Veronica's lips thinned at the question. "Mother is too distraught to travel and Father is handling matters with the Pope at the moment so I am representing them for the time being."

"Very well, if you would follow us to the drawing room then we can discuss this and you can relay it to your mother and father."

Silently, Veronica waited until Kratos and Richter were in front of her before following them into the drawing room that was down the hall.

When the door slammed shut, Lloyd released a heavy sigh and turned to Emil who was staring in the direction all three of them had left.

"I should have gone with Richter," Emil murmured. "The Grants are going to give him an hard time about this."

"He will be fine with Kratos there with him." Lloyd laid a hand on Emil's shoulder. "Richter is going to need you in the upcoming days, Emil, so you have to be strong for him."

"I will," Emil reached up and placed his hand on top of Lloyd's. "You will be here too, right?"

"Of course, I'm not going anywhere."

* * *

Thanks for reading! See you next time.


	17. Chapter 17

Valkyria : Sorry about the late chapter, but I hope you enjoy nonetheless

Disclaimer : I claim no rights to Tales of the Symphonia, the manga/video games/anime

* * *

"_I thought that going to Iselia and Altamira would allow me to escape the despair that seemed to hang over Meltokio like a dark cloud, but it seemed that all of Tethe'alla had its ears open to Aster's death and there was nowhere that I could run to." _

_- Lloyd Irving-Aurion._

Chapter Seventeen : Welcome Home : Part One.

As soon as the door to the drawing room clicked shut, Veronica turned her gaze to Richter who had taken to standing as far away from her as he physically could at the moment.

"The both of you said that you would give me an explanation," Veronica hissed, her melodious voice filled with venom. "I am waiting."

Kratos opened his mouth to start explaining, but Richter's smooth, rich voice quickly beat him to the punch.

"His death was accidental," Richter explained, staring into eyes that were painstakingly familiar to his now dead friend. "We angered the summoned spirit guarding the World Tree."

"Ratatosk..?" Veronica subconsciously took a step back. "You are standing here telling me that Ratatosk, the very being that my brother spent years studying, struck him down?"

"That is exactly what I am saying, Lady Veronica," Richter replied. "I know that is not a sufficient answer but-"

Veronica raised her gloved hand, stopping any words that were going to leave the Viscount's mouth. She took a deep, shuddering breath to calm her nerves before speaking again.

"What am I to say to my parents?" Veronica asked. "Am I supposed to tell them that the summoned spirit, Ratatosk, Lord of all Monsters, _killed_ my beloved brother?"

"Yes," Kratos replied. "That is exactly what you say to them, Lady Grants. There is no other explanation that we can give you for Aster's death."

"Very well," Veronica turned and walked towards the door, "but do know that someone will take responsibility for this tragedy."

Richter waited until the door of the drawing room clicked shut before releasing a deep sigh. He walked towards the couch and sank down into it to bury his face into his hands.

Kratos fought the urge to release a sigh himself, but one of them had to keep a grip on the situation. He looked up when the door to the drawing room creaked open and Emil's and Lloyd's heads popped in.

Emil stepped in and headed directly for Richter, while Lloyd made his way over to Kratos. He pulled Lloyd into his arms once he was close enough.

"I take it that it didn't go to well?" Lloyd whispered.

"No," Kratos pulled him closer. "It didn't at all."

"What's going to happen now?" Emil asked as he wrapped his arm around Richter's shoulder. "Are we going to have answer to the King?"

"No," Kratos replied. "We are going to have to answer to the Pope. The Grants family are strong believers of the Goddess Martel and prefer the Pope over the King at some points, and this would be one of them."

"What is he going to do?" Lloyd asked curiously and with a hint of caution.

"The best he can do is to investigate the incident and report it to the King." Kratos turned to Richter. "It would be best if you did not leave Meltokio for the time being."

"I will face whatever charges that they will give," Richter spoke up wearily. "Though I fear it will be harsher than the punishment they will give a human or an elf."

"I will make sure that does not happen," Kratos assured firmly. "I will be with you every step of the way."

Richter gave a Kratos a heartfelt smile. "Thank you, Kratos, I forever will be thankful for this."

* * *

"How is Seles doing?"

Zelos placed the glass of wine down on the table. "She's doing as well as she can in her condition."

Sheena sighed quietly and picked at her food. "I trust you heard about Earl Grants passing?"

"Indeed I have." Zelos frowned thoughtfully. "All of Meltokio is abuzz with rumors about how he died exactly."

"What do you think happened?"

Zelos shrugged. "I couldn't even begin to guess as to what caused his death, but I am sure that Kratos is in the middle of it."

Sheena bit her lips and pushed her plate away, her appetite gone for the moment. "He did fund the expedition to the World Tree."

"Exactly." Zelos suppressed the amusement he had about the situation. "So no doubt he's going to be blamed for it."

"Isn't there something we can do?" Sheena asked, giving her husband a pleading look.

Seeing that look made Zelos heart twist with guilt. He hated that look Sheena gave him. It always made him feel like he committed some kind of terrible sin.

"We don't have much leeway with the Pope or the King," Zelos murmured, reaching over and clasping her hands with his. "I will get in touch with Kratos to check on the situation if it will make you feel better."

"Yes, I would like that." Sheena pulled away, causing Zelos to frown at the action. "Zelos, there's something I need to tell you."

"Oh? What is it?"

Sheena flushed lightly and lowered her gaze to the table cloth. "Promise me that you won't get angry with me?"

Zelos leaned against the chair and stared Sheena down. "I promise."

"I…I'm pregnant Zelos." Sheena swallowed. "One month to be exact._"_

Zelos blinked slowly, discreetly reaching over to pinch his arm extra hard to make sure that this wasn't some vivid dream.

The pain from the pinch made that quite clear that this wasn't a dream.

"When were you planning on telling me that you were with child, Sheena?"

"Tomorrow actually," Sheena replied with a tight smile, "but that was ruined when you told me that you had to take a trip."

"I'm sorry." Zelos rose from his chair and made his way to his wife's side. "I'm sorry that I haven't been spending any time with you lately, and that you had to spend the first month of your pregnancy alone…"

"Enough," Sheena's smile was of fond exasperation. "It's not like you to apologize so much, Zelos. I know that you are busy."

"Regardless of that, I still should have been there for you. I promise that I'll start to do better."

This definitely threw a wrench into his plans, as he wanted to be there for his wife and child, but he also wanted to obtain the Aionis so that he could find some way to cure Seles.

He hoped that when this was over, Sheena and Seles forgave him for all of the sins that he was going to commit.

* * *

Lloyd finally felt his exhaustion catch up with him when they finally arrived home that evening. He had to keep his arms around Kratos to keep from falling to the floor of the foyer.

"Please do not pass out," Kratos murmured into his ear. "I do not want to carry you like a bride to your room."

"What's wrong with carrying me?" Lloyd whispered. "I'm practically your husband and I'm not a bride by the way…-"

Lloyd yelped when he was suddenly lifted off the ground. He quickly wrapped his arms around Kratos neck to balance himself.

"That was unexpected." Lloyd tightened his grip he had on the older man's neck as they made their way upstairs.

"You said that you were practically my husband," Kratos chuckled, "and husbands do carry each other, literally and figuratively."

"Just so you know, Kratos," Lloyd grinned, "it's only going to be figuratively with you."

"Of course," Kratos agreed, making a left and going to down the hall towards Lloyd's room. "You're a bit scrawny to even think about picking me up."

"I'm not scrawny!"

"You're not?" Kratos gripped Lloyd's thighs, causing Lloyd to blush deeply. "There's barely any muscle, which is surprising with the way you eat."

"Wow," Lloyd drawled sarcastically. "First I'm scrawny and now I'm fat? You're really close to winning my heart, Kratos."

Kratos stopped before his room and gently set him down. "Thank you, I do try my best."

Lloyd chuckled and entered his room, moving aside to let Kratos in as well. He closed the door shut behind him and made his way to his bed.

"So, what's going to happen now?"

"You're heading to Iselia and Altamira tomorrow," Kratos stated firmly.

"What?" Lloyd gave Kratos an incredulous look. "You can't be serious? You still want to work on the wedding?"

"Yes." Kratos crossed his arms and pinned him down with a stern stare. "It would be best if you left Meltokio for the time being."

"Kratos-"

"And you will take Emil with you."

"I don't think Emil will want to go with me," Lloyd stated cautiously. "He would want to stay with Richter."

"Richter would agree that it would be best if Emil went along." Kratos stepped closer to his fiancé and caressed his cheek. "Richter and I don't want you or Emil to be involved in this."

"It's a little late for that, isn't it? Wouldn't it look suspicious if Emil and I suddenly left Meltokio in the heat of this incident?"

"It wouldn't actually," Kratos replied. "Some of the caterers in town already know that Emil is helping with our wedding and it would not be suspicious if Richter sent Emil away with you to visit Iselia and Altamira."

"Can't this wait?" Lloyd pleaded. "I don't want leave while this is happening. What if I come back to find you and Richter locked away?"

"That's not going to happen," Kratos stated firmly. "I will take care of this, but I need you to do this for me."

Lloyd sighed heavily and nodded his head. "Okay."

Kratos leaned down and brushed his lips against Lloyd's pale cheek. "Thank you, I'm going to send a letter to Richter tonight, and you will depart in the morning."

Kratos helped Lloyd into bed and pressed his lips more firmly against his cheek before leaving the room. Lloyd relaxed against the pillows and pulled the blankets over his head.

The wedding was the last thing on his mind right now, but he knew Kratos was using that as an excuse to keep him away from Meltokio, to keep him safe.

In one way, it hurt that Kratos didn't think he was mature enough to handle this situation, but in another way, he knew the older man wanted nothing more than this matter to be resolved and him being here was just going to distract him.

Lloyd closed his eyes and let the thoughts of today fade away. He hoped that their new problem didn't become worse than it already was.


	18. Chapter 18

__A/N : I claim no rights to Tales of Symphonia nor their characters

Beta'd by : Jan Lee

* * *

_"I never imagined that with so many things happening, going home back to Iselia would do me any good, but I later figured out that having the opinions of friends helps you put things in perspective." _

_- Lloyd Irving-Aurion._

* * *

Chapter Eighteen : Welcome Home : Part Two

* * *

"I really appreciate you coming with me, Emil. I can't wait until you meet Genis and Collette."

Emil's slightly dimmer green eyes met his own. "It-It was no problem at all, Lloyd. I was happy to come along."

Lloyd smiled tightly at the obvious lie. "I'm sure that Richter will be fine, and that everything will be resolved when we get back."

"What if it's not?" Lloyd could tell that Emil fought off another round of tears. Emil continued... "I don't want anything to happen to Richter. If something does happen then our entire household will be destitute. Too many lives are riding on the outcome of this."

Lloyd scooted closer to Emil, patting him on the hand. "You have to believe that everything is going to be all right. Kratos and Richter are going to take care of everything, you'll see."

"But-"

"No buts," Lloyd cut in firmly, giving his friend a stern stare. "You have to believe in your husband and believe that everything is going to be okay."

"You don't know how hard it is to do that!" Emil scooted away from him, wrapping his arms around his waist as if to protect himself. "If something happens to Richter, I don't know what I would do."

"Nothing is going to happen!" Lloyd growled, steadily getting frustrated with the situation and how little faith Emil seemed to be displaying. "How do you think Richter is going to feel if he finds out that you never thought he was going to make it out of this?"

Emil suddenly let out a bitter laugh that sent a shiver down Lloyd's spine. He didn't like seeing his friend so distraught.

"Why do you think he sent me with you, Lloyd?" Emil asked. "Do you truly think I would've left his side if he didn't ask?"

"No," Lloyd replied, somewhat hurt at the truth. "No, of course not."

Lloyd let a tense, uncomfortable silence descend on them. Leaning back against the seat, he turned his head to the small curtain window, unable to find it in himself to look at Emil's most likely sad, frustrated face.

He felt like a failure, and he hoped that this trip would, in some way, cheer up Emil, but all it had so far managed to do was turn his friend into worrying wreck. Lloyd berated himself. Some friend _he_ was.

They had traveled halfway until Lloyd ordered the driver to stop for the night where they camped in a small clearing that was next to a small lake.

As Lloyd set up a fire, he felt a gentle tap on his shoulder. Turning, he saw Emil staring at him with an apologetic look.

"I'm sorry," Emil said, "about what I said earlier. I didn't mean to imply that I didn't enjoy any time that I spent with you."

"No need to apologize, not really," Lloyd picked up a stick and poked the fire. "I'm trying to understand what you're feeling, but I don't think I'm doing a good job of that."

"I don't want you to do that, Lloyd." Emil took a seat on the log that was placed in front of the fire. "Just being here for me is enough, okay?"

"Yeah, okay."

"So, what's Iselia like? Is it anything like Palmacosta?"

"Not really, it's more…woodsy? Palmacosta is right on the water, yeah?" Seeing Emil's nod, Lloyd pressed on. "Iselia is full of hills and forests, I lived right outside of town with my adoptive father, Dirk."

"Sounds peaceful, I can't wait to see it."

"I'm sure you'll love it!" Lloyd chuckled. "I can't wait for you to meet Professor Raine, Genis and Colette."

"Friends of yours?"

"Yeah, Raine is the local teacher there, Genis is her little brother, and Colette, well, I've known her since we were kids."

"Childhood friends?" Emil questioned softly. "Sounds like a recipe for love. You didn't have anything going on with before...you know?"

"N-No! Of course not!" Lloyd spluttered out. "Colette is like my little sister!" he covered his eyes. "Emil. That's just-!"

"Okay, okay," Emil chuckled. "I'm sorry about that. What about Genis? What's he like?"

"Oh, Genis is really smart and talented with magic too."

"Magic? He's an half-elf?"

"Yeah, but they posed as full blooded elves in the beginning."

A knowing expression flickered across Emil's feature. "I don't blame them for doing that. With all the prejudice concerning half-elves going on."

"Yeah," Lloyd frowned. "but, they don't have to deal with that in Iselia. They've earned everyone's respect and then some."

"I'm relieved to hear that."

Lloyd smiled. "Come on, let's get some sleep. We'll be in Iselia by mid-afternoon tomorrow if we get an early start."

* * *

"Thank you for coming, Regal. We need all of the help we can get at this point."

"It is no trouble at all, Kratos." Regal stepped into the foyer of the Abend Manor. "I would be happy to help."

Kratos preceded Regal up the stairs leading to Richter's office. "Is Alica well?"

"Yes, she's fine. Thank you for asking. How is Lloyd doing?"

"He's fine. He's taken a small trip to Iselia to visit his friends."

"Ah." Regal sounded knowing. "A small trip would do wonders for him. I assume that Emil has gone as well?"

"Yes." Kratos stopped before Richter's office door. "It would do Emil some good to get out of the city for a while." Twisting the doorknob, Kratos pulled open the door, and stepped aside to allow Regal inside first.

"Lord Bryant," Richter greeted from behind his desk. "I thank you for coming here on such notice."

"It is no problem, Viscount Abend." Regal made his way to the desk. "Kratos has told me about your situation."

"Yes." Richter removed his glasses, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "It is indeed a situation, a very large one, in fact."

"Has the Pope or King contacted either of you?"

"No," Kratos replied. "His Majesty has turned for the worst and the Pope is not seeing anyone right now."

"So, your trial is on hold?" Regal asked. "That is good, correct?"

"I was never given a trial date nor was I questioned about the incident. Aster's parents and sister are not happy about this. Which I can fully understand."

"You do not sound too happy about it, yourself." Regal gave Richter a curious look. "You were not at fault for what happened at the World Tree so you should not have a trial."

"I have been telling him that for the last several hours, Regal, but it has yet to penetrate that thick, stubborn skull of his."

"The both of you do realize that I am sitting right here?" Richter asked, dryly. "And for the record, I am not angry at the fact that I do not have a trial. I am angry at the fact that I am detained in this city."

"Which, at the moment, is a good thing," Kratos stated bluntly. "There is no telling what the people will do to you if you go out on your own. As you know, Earl Grants was very loved by the people and the scientific community for his contributions."

"That is why it is imperative that I get out of the city and back to the World Tree-"

"And what good would that do?" Regal asked, giving the Viscount a disapproving frown. "There is nothing at the World Tree that we can-" Regal suddenly narrowed his eyes. "You're not going there to look for evidence, are you? You're going there to kill Ratatosk."

"I need his core," Richter stated.

"For what?" Kratos asked, taking a step forward. "What would Ratatosk's core do for you?"

"It would be best if neither of you knew that." Richter stood from his chair, staring the dukes down. "I really appreciate your help."

"Kratos and I are here for you, Richter, but you need to tell us what's going on."

Richter moved around the desk, making his way to do the door. "I'm sorry, but there is something I need to do."

"What about Emil, Richter?" Kratos asked, coming to block the younger man from leaving. "What about your servants? The people who rely on you? Are you just going to abandon them for whatever plan you've come up with?"

"I am doing this for them." Richter laid a hand on Kratos shoulder. "Please, stand aside."

"Richter-"

"Stand. Aside."

Kratos stared into Richter's eyes, finding nothing but determination. He knew that if he didn't move then Richter was going to make him. Despite the fact that he had a little over four-thousand years of experience on the Viscount, Richter had the stubbornness of a mule on his side.

Kratos finally took a small step to the right, clearing the path for Richter. "Whatever you're going to do, I hope that you have Emil's best interests at heart."

Richter gave him one last smile before leaving through the door and closing it behind him firmly.

"Kratos? Are you just going to let him go?"

"Yes. This is the path that Richter has decided to take. I just pray that he will not take his loved ones down with him."

* * *

"How is the King?"

"His Majesty is dying. It will only be a matter of time."

"And the Princess?"

Pronyma scowled. "Ever by her father's side. What are we going to do about her?"

The Pope of Tethe'alla gave Pronyma a dark, cruel grin. "Would it not be too suspicious if Her Highness committed suicide out of grief?"

Pronyma's painted lips spread into a wicked smirk of her own. "No, it would not. In fact, that seems like a very reasonable thing to do. I will see that it is done."

"What of Duchess Lualdi and Duke Wilder? Are they keeping their ends of our bargain?"

"Duchess Lualdi is still giving funds to the Desian Faction, so we are not without. Duke Wilder has, unfortunately become preoccupied with Duchess Wilder's pregnancy."

"Pathetic," the Pope spat out. "Pay him a visit to remind him that he must stay on track. We can not afford to fail because he suddenly wants to become a father."

"Do not be harsh with him now. This is merely a small bump in the road towards our goal."

The Pope snorted. "A small bump can turn a carriage over, Pronyma."

"Enough about this matter. What are you going to do about Earl Grants' death? Are you going to sentence Viscount Abend to death?"

"I am not exactly concerned, to be honest." The Pope reached for the wine that was on the end-table next to him. "I could not care if the damned half-elf is punished or not."

"Careful," Pronyma warned. "Your true colors are showing. You need to keep the act up about your prejudice against half-elves."

"Bah," the Pope took a sip of the wine, placing back down on the table, "I shall send a squad to retrieve the Viscount if it pleases you so, my dear."

"I am only looking out for you, Your Holiness."

"Lying is very unladylike, my dear Pronyma. If you did not need me then you would have disposed of me by now."

Pronyma smiled, making no move to deny the Pope's allegation. He was right after all.

* * *

"It looks so homey.."

"It does, doesn't it?" Lloyd looked at the gates leading into the village. He couldn't believe that he was home again. Back in Iselia.

"Well?" Emil asked, stepping all of the way out of the carriage. "What are we waiting out here for? Let's go in."

"Give me a second, will you?" Lloyd looked around. Nothing had really changed much since he had left, and he found himself relieved at that. "I want to take it all in."

"Yeah, that just means you're nervous."

"Wouldn't you be?"

"Yeah, I would, but then again, who wouldn't be? You've only been gone for what? Two, three weeks?"

"Sounds about right." Lloyd took a small step forward. "Raine's going to kill me for not keeping in touch. They've probably been worried."

"Ah, so that's the reason why you won't go in? Is Raine particularly violent when she's angry?"

Lloyd laughed sheepishly. "Violent isn't a word for it. She has a fondness for hitting me in the head with chalk and erasers."

"Ouch."

"Lloyd? Lloyd, is that you?"

Lloyd looked over his shoulder and spotted Genis standing a few feet behind him. "Genis? Hey, Genis!" Lloyd spread his arms wide enough to catch Genis as the smaller boy jumped into his arms. "I missed you!."

"Same here, Lloyd, same here."

Pulling away, Lloyd turned Genis to Emil who was watching them with a small smile. "Genis? This is Emil Castagnier-Abend. Emil? This is Genis Sage."

"Nice to meet you."

"Same here." Genis grinned up at Lloyd. "What are you two doing outside the gates? You weren't think of leaving without saying anything, were you?"

"No," Lloyd scowled at Emil's sly grin. "Not at all. We were just going in."

"All right! Lead the way, Lloyd."


	19. Chapter 19

_A/N : I claim no rights to the game/manga/anime Tales of Symphonia_

_Current Song: Gekkou Symphonia - AKINO & AIKI _

_Beta'd by : Jan Lee _

* * *

_"Being home, being among friends again was somewhat of a relief, but even then I couldn't escape what was happening in Meltokio." _

_- Lloyd Irving-Aurion _

**Chapter Nineteen : From Different Sides**

Lloyd's head knocked backwards as an all too familiar piece of chalk hit his forehead with deadly accuracy. Ignoring Emil's surprised cry and Genis poorly muffled snicker, Lloyd grinned at his attacker, who was standing a few feet away with another chalk in her hand, ready to throw at a moment's notice.

"It's good to see you again, Professor Raine."

Raine huffed at his greeting. "Lloyd Irving, do you not know how to write a letter? Do you know how worried I've been since you've left?"

Lloyd scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "I'm sorry, but I've been so busy with the wedding preparations and…" He sighed. "There was just a lot going on."

Raine's scolding look turned compassionate and slightly sympathetic. "I see. Well, judging from the fact that you walked in with Genis, I take it you haven't found any lodgings yet?"

"No."

"Then you can stay with Genis and me." Raine turned to Emil. "If you don't mind sharing a room, mister…?"

"Castagnier-Abend," Emil supplied. "Emil Castagnier-Abend."

"Viscount Richter Abend's husband?"

"Yes."

Lloyd's stomach dropped when Raine and Genis gave each other a look. They couldn't possibly know what was happening in Meltokio, could they? There was no way word could travel that fast.

"I take it you've heard of Earl Grants murder and my husband's involvement?" Emil asked, cutting to chase and saying what everyone was so desperately trying to avoid.

"Yes." Raine looked shamed, yet Lloyd did see the curiosity in her eyes. "It is the talk of several villages. There are a lot of rumors going around about how Earl Grants passed away."

"And I bet every one of them says that Richter killed Aster." Emil's tone was dry and bitter. Lloyd couldn't help but flinch at it.

"A good amount of them do, yes," Raine admitted, "but, from what I heard about Earl Grants and Viscount Abend's friendship. I doubt it's true."

"Richter and Aster were close." Emil looked pained. "I couldn't possibly imagine what he must be feeling right now."

"I'm sure he's doing okay," Lloyd said, attempting to lighten the air around them. "Come on, let's get to the Professor's house and unpack."

"How long will the both of you be staying?" Raine asked, leading the way.

"A couple of days," Lloyd replied. "We're heading to Altamira to make a reservation for the wedding."

"Altamira? Really?" Lloyd chuckled at how excited Genis sounded. "I heard that place was pretty awesome."

"It is," Emil agreed. "Seaside resort, amusement park and it even has a casino."

"It is also the headquarters for the Lezerano Company," Raine informed them. "Its president is Duke Regal Bryant. And…"

"She sure knows a lot about it," Emil whispered to Lloyd low enough so that Raine couldn't hear them. "Has she been there before?"

"Nope," Genis replied. "She has a major crush on Duke Bryant."

"He's is the only child of..."

"What!" Lloyd yelped, covering his mouth when Raine gave him a sharp look for interrupting. He waited until she spoke again before continuing. "He's what? Thirty-five?"

"Thirty-six," Emil corrected. "Does she know that he's happily married and has a child on the way?"

"Duke Bryant accomplished this at the age of..."

Genis winced. "She knows that, but it doesn't stop her from dreaming."

"…took over the company when he was twenty-five-" Raine whirled around causing Lloyd, Genis and Emil to stop. "Are any of you listening to a word I've just said?"

"Yes!" all three of them chorused. Lloyd gulped when he saw Raine's lips pull into a sly grin.

"Okay, then." Raine crossed her arms. "When was Regal Bryant born-"

"Lloyd! Lloyd!"

Lloyd's heart melted when he heard Colette's soft voice drifting across the small bridge. He ran towards his friend before Raine had the chance to repeat her question. As soon as he was close enough, Lloyd took Colette into his arms and spun her around, mentally thanking Martel for the girl's arrival. He felt Colette's thin arms wrap around his neck to return the hug. Smiling at the gesture, he set on her the ground and looked into those blue eyes he'd missed so much.

"Hello."

"Hello." Colette smiled brightly. "It's so good to see you again."

"Same here," Lloyd turned and waved Emil forward. "There's someone I want you too meet. Colette, this is Emil Castagnier-Abend. Emil, this is Colette Brunel."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Brunel."

"Please," Colette said as she blushed lightly, "Colette is fine."

"Well, now that we have introductions out of the way, why don't we head home?" Raine said, turning to give him a stern stare. "And then we can continue our conversation."

Lloyd closed his eyes in resignation. He should have known better than to think he was going to get out of this.

* * *

__Kratos closed the door to his office, placing a silencing arte over the walls, it wouldn't do if anyone overheard what they were about to talk about. Turning, he spotted Yuan leaning against his desk. He vaguely wondered what he said to the servants to come in here. They knew no one was allowed in here without his permission.

"What do you have for me?"

Yuan gave him a scornful look. "What do you have for me? Where are your manners, Kratos? How about you ask that question again, hmmm?"

"Yuan," Kratos warned, "I don't have time for your sarcastic remarks."

"Aren't you testy?" Yuan teased maliciously. Kratos opened his mouth to let out a scathing reply, but snapped it closed when Yuan held up a hand.

"Very well, very well. Here's what I know. According to official reports, His Majesty is taken ill, but my sources tell me that he's on his deathbed."

"And Her Highness?" Kratos questioned. "What of her?"

"Ever by his side," Yuan replied, the teasing smirk and remarks now gone from his tone. "She is to be crowned as Queen of Tethe'alla should His Majesty die within in the week."

Kratos frowned. "What does the Pope say about this? He is to crown her Queen?"

"This is where it gets strange." Yuan leaned against his desk. "The Pope hasn't made any announcements about the King's illness or the crowning of the Princess to the people of Meltokio. In fact, His Holiness is developing a habit of disappearing days on end."

"Where is he going?"

Yuan shrugged, an uneasy frown on his lips. "Not even I can tell you that, my friend. He has even evaded the eyes of my best informants. Whatever he is doing, I doubt it has anything to do with Viscount Abend's trial."

"No, I suppose it would not," Kratos agreed solemnly. "Where is Richter?"

Yuan winced lightly. "We have lost track of him as of yesterday. I sincerely hope he does not do anything rash."

"Richter is a smart man, but I fear whatever he is planning will have dire consequences."

"Do you wish for me to go after him?"

"No, not at the moment, I am more concerned about Zelos', Alice's and the Desian Faction's actions."

"Yes, about them, Kratos. It seems that they have begun to move."

"Move?"

Yuan nodded. "Their protests have grown more violent. There have been small attacks in the villages of Palmacosta and Mizuho."

"Emil's and Sheena's hometown? Does the Duchess knows about this, I wonder?"

"Most likely, but I doubt Zelos would let her go considering she's with child now."

Kratos bit back a noise of surprise at that particular piece of news. He would have to give her his congratulations when the opportunity arose.

"If Sheena's with child then that would mean Zelos is delaying his plan of grabbing my Aionis stone."

Yuan raised an eyebrow. "Don't be so confident, my friend. Zelos is still going to proceed with his plans. He does have his sister to worry about."

Kratos nodded, feeling disgruntled. "He is quite the stubborn one."

"So." Yuan crossed his arms over his chest. "What are your plans? What is your next move?"

"I am going to pay the Pope a little visit," Kratos replied, smirking at Yuan's surprised expression. "It's just a little discussion about Richter. I'm not going to do anything rash. I do have Lloyd to think about."

"Yes, the country boy," Yuan spat out. "Where is he?"

"Iselia, along with Emil. Richter and I figured it would be best if both of them were out of the city with everything going on."

Yuan nodded in approval. "Are you going to join them?"

"If I can," Kratos replied, feeling guilty about having Lloyd go it alone with Emil to Altamira. He had promised to go with him after all.

"Please," Yuan sounded pained. "Do not daydream about your fiancé while you are in my presence."

Kratos chuckled, gaining a scowl from Yuan in the process. "I'd best be on my way, Yuan, and thank you for the information."

"Anytime, but are you sure you want to go visit the Pope alone? No telling what he has up his sleeve."

"I will be fine," Kratos said and placed his hand on the sword resting against his chair. "I am more than capable of taking care of myself."

* * *

__Standing in the shrine of Centurion Aqua, Richter never thought he would be asking for this creature's help, but he needed it, he needed it to help complete his plans. He knew what he was doing would cause untold chaos across Sylvarant and Tethe'alla, but if that was price for bringing Aster then it would be a price he would gladly pay.

"So, you want me to help you?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I..." Richter gripped his axe tightly. "I want to bring someone back."

"And would that someone be?"

"His name is Aster, Aster Grants."

"Is this Aster someone special to you?"

Richter stared the Centurion in the eye. "Yes, he was."

The Centurion, who had identified herself as Aqua, blinked. "Was he your lover? husband?"

"He was my best friend." Richter looked away from Aqua's sharp gaze. "he was wrongfully killed by Ratatosk."

"The Lord Ratatosk? What reason would he have to kill a human?"

"He is disillusioned by humans and half-elves from the Kharlan War, so he took his anger out on Aster."

Aqua frowned, floating closer to Richter. "It is displeasing to hear such a thing about Lord Ratatosk, especially since he is the guardian of the Ginnungagap, the door that separates the human world from Nilfheim, the demonic world."

"Will you help me, Aqua?" Richter asked. "Will you help me to bring back Aster and take revenge on Ratatosk."

Aqua looked thoughtful. "Not yet. Tell me of your plan and I will decide if I want to help you or not."

* * *

__-End Chapter Nineteen.


	20. Chapter 20

__Disclaimer : I claim no rights to the anime/manga/game of Tales of Symphonia.

Enjoy the Chapter.

* * *

_"Staying in Iselia and being among friends felt good, but it still didn't erase my worry for Kratos and Emil's worry for Richter." _

- Lloyd Irving-Aurion.

**Chapter Twenty : Moving Along **

Giving Emil a tour of Iselia caused an unwanted wave of nostalgia to wash over Lloyd. It didn't help matters when memories of Dirk surfaced unexpectedly. He longed to go visit his foster father's grave, but he suppressed the urge. He didn't want Emil to be sad, his friend already had enough problems. And besides, he would have plenty of time to visit later in the day.

"So," Lloyd began, stopping near a shop holding weapons and battle-like items. "What do you think of Iselia?"

"The people are welcoming." Emil grinned. "It's so close-knit, unlike Palmacosta."

Lloyd nodded. "Everyone knows everyone here." Chuckling suddenly, he added, "Dirk always hated how people knew everyone's business. He was a very private person."

Emil gave him a small smile. "I'm honestly surprised you haven't visited his grave yet."

Swallowing the sudden lump in his throat, Lloyd gave Emil a shaky smile. "I'll have plenty of time to see him. Do you want to go see the temple?"

"Sure!"

Grabbing Emil's hand, Lloyd dragged him away from the market and towards a set of stairs by the school. The Temple of Martel was empty most of the time except for festivals and daily worship which was over by now.

"Do you guys have a temple in Palmacosta?"

"Yeah." Emil jumped over a small, ruined stair. "It's a little bit bigger than the one here though. Mom and Dad visited every day. Which was a good thing considering all nobles are almost fanatic with their devotion to Martel."

Lloyd stopped on the top stair and gave Emil a surprised look. "I didn't think Richter was the religious type."

"He isn't, but his parents were." Emil chuckled. "It was habit for him to just go to the Temple once a week. I found myself tagging along after a while."

Hearing this, Lloyd wondered if Kratos was going to drag him to church. It wasn't that he minded going to service, but he always found himself easily bored in those type of situations. He didn't want to offend the priest or Kratos if he ever fell asleep.

"He doesn't go," Emil spoke up, poking him in the arm lightly. "Not since Anna passed away."

"It reminds him too much of her," Lloyd guessed, somewhat bitterly. He was acting somewhat childish and judging from Emil's frown, his friend knew it as well. "I'm sorry I'm being a brat, but it's just-"

"You can't do many of the things you want because everything reminds Kratos of Anna," Emil finished smoothly. "I'm not saying I understand, but, honestly, I do. I always felt jealous of Aster whenever we went out. Richter didn't mean it but he would always point out places where he and Aster went before we met and he would get this soft look in his eyes. I hated it."

Noticing Emil decreasing mood, Lloyd patted Emil on the shoulder. "Enough of this, let's go check out this temple, all right?"

"Yeah, sorry,"

"Don't worry about it." Walking down the slightly beaten path, Lloyd nodded to the guard who was standing just outside the doors.

"Lloyd? Lloyd Irving?" The temple guard, Roy, nodded in greeting. "I heard you were engaged. Congratulations."

"Thanks," Lloyd replied sheepishly, he pushed Emil in front of him in an effort to change the subject. "This is Emil Castagnier-"

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Emil cut in, holding out a hand, smiling when Roy grasped it firmly.

"Castagnier, eh?" Roy pulled away. "I've heard that name before, but I can't remember where."

Not giving Roy a chance to remember, Lloyd pushed one of the temple doors open a crack. "It was nice seeing you again, Roy. I'll make sure to stop by again and say hello before I leave."

"You do that." Roy gave him confused look. "Make sure you say hello to the high priest, all right? He's been worried for you since Dirk passed away."

"I'll do that."

Stepping inside, Lloyd waved a hand at the high priest who was a few feet away. "Father Lucian."

"Lloyd!" Lucian's green eyes gleamed with relief. "I heard you were engaged to the head of one of the Four Grand Duke Houses. I must give you my congratulations."

"Thank you. Father Lucian this is Emil Castagnier."

Emil bowed his head respectfully. "Father, it is nice to meet you."

"Ah." Lucian looked slightly uncomfortable and Lloyd had a sinking feeling that Lucian knew who Emil was, unlike Roy.

"Lord Castagnier-Abend," Lucian murmured. "There have been rumors going around about your husband."

"Yes," Emil sounded exhausted and it tugged at Lloyd's heart. "About Earl Grants' death."

Lucian reached out and placed a gloved hand on Emil's shoulder in comfort. "Have faith, Lord Castagnier, as this trail will pass soon enough."

"What if it doesn't? What if Richter doesn't get past this? What then?"

"He'll get past this, Emil. Like I said before, you have to believe in him and whatever choices he decides to make," Lloyd said, nudging Emil.

"But-"

"But nothing," Lloyd cut off sharply, he shot Father Lucian an irritated look. He was satisfied when the man looked slightly ashamed for bringing the matter up in the first place.

"We'd best be going now." Lloyd nodded his head at Lucian. "It was nice to see you again, Father."

Lucian gave him a small, relieved smile. "It was good to see you again as well, Lloyd and Lord Castagnier-Abend. Please, make sure you visit Dirk's grave and give him my regards, will you?"

"I'll make sure to do that."

* * *

The Church of Martel , situated in the middle of Meltokio was a magnificent structure made out of stain glass, marble and metal. Being here brought back fond memories for Kratos, days of where Anna dragged him here to pray for a child that they would never have an opportunity to have.

Shaking those thoughts away, Kratos stepped through the large double doors, bowing his head to the passing priestess who was taking a group of small children to a small classroom to the side. He continued on his way to the back where the Pope's office was known to be. Considering his rank as Duke, it would be easy enough to gain a meeting with the man.

Taking a sharp left, he came upon the Pope's office with a Papal Knight standing outside. As he expected, the Knights crossed their weapons together, barring entry from him.

"State your business."

"I am here to visit the Pope," Kratos replied. "I am Duke Kratos Aurion, one of the members of the Four Grand Houses. I need to discuss with him the details of Earl Grants' murder."

"Ah, Duke Aurion," the knight from the left said. "The Pope has asked us to deliver you a message."

Kratos raised an eyebrow. "And what would that message be, exactly?"

"His Holiness states that he wants to meet you in the Great Hall tonight. He will discuss the details of Earl Grants' abrupt death then."

"Great Hall?" Kratos repeated. "Why there?"

"We do not question His Holiness, Duke Aurion, and frankly, neither should you."

Giving the second guard a cold look for his remark, Kratos nodded his head before turning on his heel and leaving the same way he came.

Great Hall? Why would he want to meet there? Of all places?

The Great Hall was a large room underneath the Cathedral specifically used to ordain priests and priestesses entering the religion. It also used to be an experimental lab to create artificial angels one thousand years ago.

The thought of those labs caused an unwanted shiver to run down Kratos spine. He had seen the effects of those experiments and most of them did not end well. Why the Pope wanted to meet there, Kratos couldn't figure out and it frustrated him.

Stepping out of the church, Kratos entered his carriage and commanded the drive to take him home. He would have until the tonight to prepare. He had a feeling whatever the Pope wanted wasn't going to be pleasant.

* * *

Zelos clutched the letter in his hands tightly. It was from the Pope requesting his presence in the Great Hall tonight. What could that pompous man possibly want? Since Sheena's pregnancy, he decided that the Aionis stone could wait for a few days while he made sure his wife was as comfortable as possible. And besides, the healers at the Abby told him Seles was doing well for the time being.

"Zelos?"

Zelos glanced over his shoulder to see Sheena standing in the doorway of the gardens. "Sheena? Is something the matter?"

"No," Sheena chuckled softly, walking to him and taking a seat beside him on the cushioned bench. "I was just wondering where you were." She looked down and spotted the letter in his hands. "What is that?"

Zelos balled the paper up, ignoring Sheena's surprised look. "It's nothing to worry about. I have a meeting with the Pope tonight."

"Oh? What about?"

"It didn't say," Zelos lied smoothly. "I'm sure it's nothing to worry about." He placed a hand on Sheena's stomach, smirking when his action gained him a playful glare and blush. "I don't want to cause you any unnecessary stress."

"You always cause me unnecessary stress, Zelos," Sheena remarked playfully, "but, if you say it's nothing to worry about then I believe you."

"Good, because I wouldn't lie to you about anything."

Sheena looked shocked at his words. "I know that, Zelos, don't be silly." She placed a hand on his. "I trust you. You know that, right?"

Zelos forced down the guilt pressing up inside him and nodded his head. "Of course."

A discreet cough from the doorway caused Zelos to look up and spot his butler, David. He stood from the chair. "David? What is it?"

"Duchess and Duke Lualdi are in the drawing room requesting your presence, milord. They insist that it is an emergency."

"It's an emergency if Decus runs out of that funky cologne," Zelos murmured, drawing a small chuckle from Sheena. "Tell them I will be right there."

David bowed. "Yes, milord."

"What could they possibly want?"

"I haven't a clue." Zelos sighed, feeling weary at the thought of those two. "I'm going to find out."

* * *

"It's good to see you again, Dad," said Lloyd as he slid to his knees in front of Dirk's grave, swiping the leaves away and placing a bouquet of flowers in front of the headstone. "Sorry I couldn't come sooner."

Adjusting himself to sit down properly, Lloyd stared at the hammer lying against the tombstone, the same one he had set there days after the funeral. It was one of Dirk's favorite and he knew the old dwarf would never part with it unwillingly. He couldn't believe his foster father was gone, but coming here always made it too real.

"I wanted to thank you for what you did, Dad." Lloyd chuckled. "Though, I must admit it was quite a surprise when I read your letter and even more of a surprise when Kratos showed up a few days later. He really is something else. I'll never know how you managed to give my hand in marriage to a duke of all people, but I am grateful for it.

"Kratos and I are getting along pretty good now. It wasn't that way in the beginning though. I felt like a country bumpkin when I first arrived." Lloyd snickered. "Andrea warmed up to me pretty quickly. She says she knew you way back when..." He blinked when his eyes started to burn with tears. "I-I miss you, Dad, I really do. It isn't the same without you, you know?"

Lloyd jerked his head up when the sounds of footsteps reached his ears. Quickly wiping his face, he turned to see Raine leaning against the tree with a sympathetic expression.

"Professor?"

"Lloyd, we need you back home, something's happened with Lord Abend."

Lloyd rose from the ground, dusting off his pants. "What happened to Richter? Does Emil know yet?"

Raine waved a hand towards the house. "It would be best if I explained the situation inside, come with me."


	21. Chapter 21

__Disclaimer : I claim no rights to the anime/manga/game Tales of Symphonia - Enjoy the Chapter.

Current Song : Crazy Rainbow by Tackey & Tsubasa

* * *

_"I would have never imagined that coming home to Iselia would lead to the journey Emil and I were about to take." - Lloyd Irving-Aurion._

Chapter Twenty-One : Rise of the Vanguard.

* * *

The sound of Emil's angered voice was the first thing to reach Lloyd's ears when he entered Raine's and Genis's home. Pulling the door open, Lloyd spotted Emil pacing back and forth in front of the small couch in the living room. A worried looking Colette stood by Genis, who was looking quite angered himself.

"What's going on?"

Emil whirled to him, his eyes filled with anger. "You want to know what's going on? I'll tell you what's going on!" Emil pointed to Genis. "Genis says that Richter attacked Palmacosta and Mizuho!"

"W-What?" Lloyd mumbled, confused. "Why would Richter attack Palmacosta and Mizuho?" he turned to Genis. "Where did you hear such a thing, Genis?"

"Rumors are going around like wildfire," Genis said. "All witness coming from Palmacosta say that they spotted Richter."

"How do they even know what Richter looks like?" Emil questioned. "They've never seen him before. And besides, he wouldn't attack Palmacosta because my parents are there! He would never harm them."

"You may be right, but those witnesses say Richter told them who he was before setting fire to their towns," Genis replied, giving Emil a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry, Emil, but I wouldn't tell you this if it wasn't true. I know what you're going through."

"No." Emil walked towards the door, wrenching it open. "I don't think you do."

"Emil! Wait!" Lloyd flinched when Emil slammed the door harshly, shaking the walls with the force. Turning to Genis, he gave the younger man a despairing look. "Why did you tell him that, Genis? Now, of all times."

"He would have found out sooner or later, Lloyd," Raine said softly. "It would have been better if he found out about it from people he knows instead of some stranger who found out he is Richter's husband."

"I know, I know! but-" Lloyd shook his head, glancing at the door Emil just left through. "How much more suffering does he have to go through?"

"Lloyd-"

"I'm going after him." Lloyd started towards the door. "If I don't calm him down then he's going to do something incredibly stupid."

"Like you would if this was about Kratos?" Genis teased, but the half-elf's blue eyes were serious.

"Yeah," Lloyd didn't bother denying it, "I would do something drastic, and probably something incredibly stupid like going after the one I care about."

"Be careful." Colette had a knowing look in her eyes. "We'll be waiting for you, okay?"

"I will and thank you, Colette, Raine, Genis,"

* * *

Lloyd found Emil on the hilltop over looking Iselia. He stopped beside the shorter man, waiting patiently for Emil to say something. He didn't have to wait too long.

"I didn't want to believe it, you know?"

"I know."

"Why? Why would Richter attack the people of Palmacosta and Mizuho? Is there something in those specific towns? Or was it just random? I want…no…I _need_ to know what's going on."

"Well, we can go find out." Lloyd chuckled when Emil gave him a shocked look. "What? Did you think I was going to say 'We shouldn't go, Emil. It's too dangerous'?"

"Well, I-yes, as a matter of fact, I _did_ think you were going to say that."

Lloyd sat on the hilltop and looked down at the small village. "If it was any other situation then, yeah, I would have said that, but this is Richter we're talking about, your husband. If it was Kratos in the same situation then you would have followed me to the ends of the Earth to find him."

"Yes," Emil responded immediately. "I would."

"Then I'm going to do the same for you." Lloyd spread back on the ground. "You helped me when I first came to Meltokio, Emil. You were my very first friend. You knew what it felt like to be alone in a place filled with nobles who didn't give a damn. This is the least I can do to help you."

"Thank you." Emil bowed his head, tears running down his cheeks. "Thank you so much, Lloyd."

"Heh." Lloyd took the smaller man into his arms. "No need to thank me. This is what friends do for each other after all."

* * *

The next day was not preparing to go to Altamira. No, the next day was being used to buy weapons, clothing, survival items and food. Anything they would need on their journey. For the second time in weeks, Lloyd was grateful for the seemingly endless gald Kratos had and gave to him before the trip.

"Will those blades be powerful enough?" Emil asked curiously.

Test swinging the blades, Lloyd felt a surge of joy at how light and powerful they seemed. "Yeah, these are going to be fine. What about yours? Is that going to be good enough?"

Emil tapped the blade resting on his back holster. "I tried it out earlier and it's fine. Do we have everything we need?"

"Check."

Emil grinned and crossed his arms, giving Lloyd an amused look. "No snacks, right? You didn't just get chocolate did you?"

"Of course not!" Lloyd spluttered indignantly. "I deserve a little bit more credit than that."

"Sorry." Emil snickered, bending down and picking up the bags of items and clothing. "I remember quite well the ball where you stuffed your face."

Lloyd covered his ears. "I don't hear that! Not listening!"

Even covering his ears, Lloyd could Emil making fake eating noises. A reluctant snicker escaped his lips at the sound, he would admit he did go a bit overboard that night, but could he help that the food was so good?

"There you two are! I've been looking around this whole village."

Taking his hands off his ears, Lloyd turned to see Raine, Genis and Colette standing a few feet away with, of all things, packs on their back and weapons at their sides. They couldn't possibly think of going-

"Oh?" Emil asked. "Are you guys coming along?"

"Yes." Raine's tone booked no arguments. "We figured the both of you couldn't possibly handle this alone."

"No," Lloyd blurted out, mentally slapping himself for it seconds after, but he pushed ahead nonetheless. "There's no way you guys are coming. You don't need to get involved."

"We're already involved." Genis grinned. "You and Emil are our friends, Lloyd. That means we were involved whether we wanted to be or not."

"Right! So, we're coming along whether you want us to or not, Lloyd." Colette pulled out a pair of gold chakrams. "And it's not like we can't defend ourselves."

"Five pairs of eyes are better than two," Raine added, a mischievous glint to her eyes. "And having magic users will be immensly helpful."

"Well, Lloyd," Emil turned, giving him an amused look, "they've got us three to two, and besides, we could use the help. Who knows how many people Richter has now?"

"Sure, sure," Lloyd agreed, sulking on the inside, "the more the merrier, I guess,"

"Very well then," Raine spoke over Emil's, Genis's and Colette's cheering. "Let's pick our first destination, shall we?"

* * *

The Great Hall looked old and ominous to Kratos, which was saying something considering how old he was. Closing the door behind him, he kept his hand firmly on his blade and walked to the center, the sound of his boots clicking on the stone.

What could the Pope possibly want with him here? It had to be something more than talking about Earl Grants' death. And it was that thought that caused Kratos to tighten his grip on his blade even further. He wasn't going to allow himself to be caught off guard.

"Duke Aurion!" a booming voice called from his left. "Welcome to the Great Hall!"

Turning in the direction of the voice, Kratos spotted the Pope with three Papal Knights flanking him. Kratos loosened his grip on his sword, three Papal Knights was nothing he couldn't handle. He's taken down much more than that.

"Your Holiness," Kratos greeted. "Your guards told me to meet you here. For what purpose, exactly?"

The Pope stepped closer, Papal Knight quickly following. "You know as well as I that the Great Hall was once used to experiment on humans in an effort to create Angels, correct?"

"Correct."

"Well, we decided to re-start those experiments, having Angels under our control will do wonders for our forces and it will make the people even more devoted to me rather than the King."

"The experiments failed a first time. What makes you think that they're going to succeed a second?"

The Pope smirked. "We have sources and technologies that our predecessors didn't, which makes our success rate even higher. Isn't that right, Duke Wilder?"

Kratos glanced over his shoulder to see Zelos leaning against the far wall, looking slightly uncomfortable. If he didn't know better, he would think Zelos wanted no part of this.

"Duke Wilder?" The Pope questioned again. "Isn't that right?"

"Right," Zelos said quietly. "You come quietly and we won't hurt anyone from your household."

"And if I say no?"

Zelos pushed himself off the wall and drew his knife. "Then your household dies."

"Threatening me with the death of my servants will not make me surrender." Kratos drew his blade. "They are more than capable of defending themselves."

"Oh, really?" Zelos looked highly amused. "Taught them a few tricks, have you?"

"You can say that. Why are you doing this, Zelos? To save Seles? To take my Aionis stone?"

Much to Kratos' satisfaction, Zelos looked startled. "Don't look so shocked." Kratos chuckled darkly. "I have eyes everywhere."

"Of course you do," Zelos said sourly. "You have one last chance to surrender yourself and the Aionis stone."

"My answer remains the same."

"Enough of this!" The Pope snapped his fingers and the two Papal Knights raised their blades. "Kill him! We'll extract data from his remains!"

* * *

A/N : Lloyd, Genis, Emil and Raine are on their way! Kratos has to defend himself against the Pope and Zelos, will he survive? Stay tuned.


	22. Chapter 22

Valkyria : Enjoy the latest chapter of Flames of the Heart

Beta'd by : Jan Lee

Disclaimer : I claim no rights to the game Tales of Symphonia.

* * *

_"Seeing the blood trail Richter left behind, not only brought despair to Emil, but it brought anger to the people and made the ties between humans and half-elves shrivel to almost nothing." - Lloyd Irving-Aurion._

**Chapter Twenty-Two : Reasoning.**

Kratos stood over the two dead knights whilst keeping his sword trained on Zelos, who had yet to move from his position.

"What are you waiting for?" The Pope roared. "Attack him!"

Zelos's hand drifted down to his belt, stopping at the knife attached there. "Why should I follow any of your orders, _Your Holiness?"_

"Are you saying that you don't want him dead?" the Pope questioned harshly. "Isn't this one of your goals? To gain the Aionis stone and restore your sister's health?"

"That's right, but instead of hiding behind your precious Papal Knights, why don't you try to do some of your own dirty work for once?"

"Dirty work?" the Pope repeated. "Such as keeping an eye on your precious sister and pregnant wife? Two of my associates are keeping an eye on the both of them right this moment. So, I suggest you draw your sword and kill him or I'll make sure you'll come home to a dead wife and unborn child."

"You don't have to do anything he says, Zelos," Kratos spoke up, keeping his gaze steady on Zelos. The younger man was much more of a threat than the Pope was. "You can not trust him or his word."

Zelos pulled away from the wall, drawing his sword as he did so. "What little choice do I have, Kratos? Your precious fiance isn't here. He's safely tucked away somewhere along with that troublesome and pathetic husband of Viscount Abend. Unlike you, I have something to lose."

"You will lose Sheena and Seles if you continue down this path." Kratos tightened the grip on his sword, ready to move at moment's notice.

"I will lose Sheena and Seles if you don't die here." Zelos pointed his sword at him. "It's too bad, you know? I actually liked you before all this crap happened."

Kratos smirked bitterly, charging towards Zelos, bringing his sword upwards, aiming it towards Zelos's face. He wasn't surprised when Zelos blocked the strike effectively, pushing him backwards.

Zelos rushed towards him, jumping in the air and bringing his blade down. _"Hurricane Thrust!" _

_"Victory Light Spear!" _Pushing himself into the air, Kratos countered Zelos's arte, bringing the younger man to the ground.

"Zelos!" the Pope roared. "Stop playing around and finish him off!"

"Give it up." Kratos brought his blade down to Zelos's neck. "There's no way you can win."

"We'll see about that." Before Kratos could bring his sword down, Zelos rolled out of the way, throwing a knife and impaling him in the shoulder.

Quickly pulling the knife out, Kratos closed his hand over the wound and murmured a quick healing spell. It wasn't enough, but it would tide him over until this fight was over.

_"Grave!" _

Hissing, Kratos moved out of the way as a pillar of earth shot up where he was previously standing. Rushing forward, he forced his blade into a horizontal strike, slashing Zelos across the stomach bringing the young duke to his knees.

"It's over, Zelos." Holding his blade up, Kratos quickly gathered the mana in from around him. _"Under the name of the Martel, I beg the Light of Judgment to fall upon these impure souls! Judgment!" _

Several beams of white light emerged from Kratos's sword, most of them striking Zelos and causing the young duke to cry out in pain. When the attack was finished, Zelos lay in a pool of his own blood, his once lightly tanned skin covered with burns.

Turning his attention away from the incapacitated duke, Kratos turned to see the Pope running out of the room. Quickly sheathing his blade, he jumped into the air and landed in front of the Pope causing the older man to stumble and fall to the ground.

"Please! I beg of you! Let me go!"

Kratos raised an eyebrow at the quivering mass that was the Pope. "It amazes me how someone like you, a coward, can gain such a powerful position within the Church of Martel."

"Please-"

"Enough," Kratos snapped, dragging the man to his feet. "You're coming with me."

"Zelos!" the Pope cried out. "Help me, please, help."

Kratos aimed his forearm into the Pope's neck, effectively knocking him unconscious. It would be better for him mentally if the damned man was silent.

The door to the Great Hall creaked open, causing Kratos to drop the Pope and draw his blade. He sighed when he saw Yuan approaching with two of his men trailing behind him.

"Well, well, well," Yuan drawled, looking around. "You've caused quite a mess here, my friend."

"For once, I can truly say this isn't my fault."

Yuan raised an eyebrow at him. "Oh, really? Then explain why His Holiness is unconscious and Duke Wilder looks dead twice over."

"Self-defense," Kratos deadpanned. "I need a place to stash both of them for the time being."

"I'll take care of it, but what about Duchess Wilder? I'm sure she will get suspicious if her husband does not return soon."

"Do not worry. I will take care of it."

* * *

The Legendary Tower of Mana stood ominous but this did nothing to deter Richter from gaining entrance. Placing his weapons and pack down, he proceeded to find a way in. Seeing the angelic writing on the sides of the door made him fervently wish Aster or even Kratos were here with him. Both men were fluent in the language.

"Aqua," he called out, never taking his eyes away from the words. "Aqua!"

The sound of rushing water reached his ears before he heard Aqua's light voice. "Yes?"

"Can you get in?" Richter moved aside, showing the Centurion the problem. "I haven't studied angelic language. It wasn't my field of expertise."

Aqua looked thoughtful. "Why don't we just destroy the door?"

"No," Richter replied sharply. "This tower is a piece of history and we will not defile it-"

"You want to get in, don't you?" Aqua asked just as sharply. "If you wish to obtain Lumen then you need to stop being so sentimental. And besides, the damn tower is basically ruins."

"That doesn't mean you need to destroy it!" When Aqua stared at him with a blank expression, he sighed heavily. Aster would be so disappointed if he saw what Richter was doing, but it needed to be done.

"Very well," Richter moved aside. "Knock it down."

"Understood." With a triumphant cry, Aqua released a water arte strong enough to blast the door down and leaving a gaping hole in place. "Well? How did I do?"

It was Richter's turn to give the Centurion a blank look. Picking up his things, he stepped through the hole and sucked in a sharp breath.

Books.

Hundreds, if not thousands, of books were in the room they had just entered. Richter took a moment to look around. Many of them were describing the history of Tethe'alla and Sylvarant, while others described the Great Kharlan War.

"Richter," came Aqua's impatient voice. "Can we go now? I know this isn't what you came to do."

"Yes, of course, where is Lumen?"

Aqua floated to the floor. "In the basement levels. I can barely feel it, but it's there."

"Good, I'm sure it won't be too hard to reach it."

From the look Aqua gave him, he had a feeling that he would be regretting his words.

* * *

Palmacosta, one of the largest cities on the Sylvarant continent, lay in ruins. Lloyd managed to hold Emil back from running into the town and screaming for his mother and father.

"Calm down," Lloyd commanded. "We don't know if monsters or anything else has come into the city. It's too dangerous for us to rush in blindly."

"Lloyd-"

"Emil," Raine soothed, laying a hand on the slim shoulder. "It's all right, okay? I'm sure your mother and father made it out okay-"

"You don't know that!" Emil hissed, struggling against Lloyd. "I have to go see if they're okay." Emil turned to Lloyd. "Let me go."

"Not until you calm down." Lloyd tightened his grip against Emil's waist. "I promise we'll go look for them, alright?"

Like magic, Emil stopped struggling in his arms, giving Lloyd the opportunity to release him. "Now-" He cursed when Emil pushed him away and ran into town.

"Emil! Emil, wait!"

Genis flew by him following closely behind Emil, the half-elf turned and waved at him. "Come on, Lloyd! We have to catch him."

Letting out another curse, Lloyd ran after his friends. He was going to tie both of them up when he caught up with them.

* * *

__-End Chapter Twenty-Two.


	23. Chapter 23

Disclaimer : I claim no rights to the anime/manga/game Tales of Symphonia.

Beta'd by : Jan Lee.

* * *

"It_ only takes one small event for a person to change his views or even for who he is in general. For me, it was Dirk's death, but for Emil, it was seeing the destruction Richter left behind. I will never forget the look of determination that came into his eyes that day. That look refuses to leave, even today." - Lloyd Irving-Aurion. _

Chapter Twenty-Three : One Step Closer 

Gazing upon Palmacosta from the outside was nothing compared to seeing the actual damage on the inside. Houses, shops and boats were now nothing but pieces of burnt wood. Lloyd found it frightening that Richter managed to cause all of this damage. Alone. It made him wonder if Richter gained this power before he departed from Meltokio or gained it along the way.

Multiple questions popped into his mind as he ran to catch up with Emil and Genis; one of them was why? Why would Richter do this? What did the viscount gain by destroying Palmacosta and Mizuho? It didn't make any sense to him.

Panting, Lloyd slowed to a stop, placing his hands on his knees to catch his breath. He looked ahead to see Emil and Genis standing in front of two locals which were most likely Emil's parents. Lloyd allowed himself to smile at the sight. While he was still irritated with his friend's running off, he wouldn't deny he was relieved Emil's parents were well and alive.

"…destroyed everything, Emil! How can you sit here and defend him?"

"I'm not trying to defend him, Dad."

Preparing himself, Lloyd coughed politely, drawing all eyes to him. "Hello, I'm-"

"Lloyd Irving, right?"

Lloyd blinked at the woman, who had Emil's bright green eyes. "Yes, ma'am."

"I'm Lana Castagnier, Emil's mother, It is nice to finally meet you, despite the circumstances." Lana laid a hand on the taller man beside her. "This is my husband, Reysol."

Reysol turned from Emil and locked his gaze with Lloyd. "Like my wife says, it's nice to meet you, Lloyd. Emil has talked about you many times in the letters he sent us. I just wish _you_ desired his hand instead of that Martel-forsaken Richter."

"Reysol!"

"Don't tell me you're defending that monster as well, Lana." Reysol waved an arm around. "Look at what he did! And for _what_? Some…some Centurion core or whatever those damn things were called."

"Centurion core?" Lloyd asked. "What are those?"

"Maybe it would be best if we explained at the inn," Lana said, looking around. Lloyd followed her gaze to see a number of people were staring at him, or rather, staring at Emil and Genis. Lloyd consciously took a step toward his friend, partially shielding him from view.

"Okay."

The inn looked no better than the rest of the buildings, but the rooms remained intact and were well furnished. The innkeeper had allowed a number of people to stay for free until they were on their feet again.

"You said something about Centurion cores," Lloyd said. "What are those?"

"Centurion are servants of Ratatosk, lord of all monsters. There all eight and each of them control monsters of their own elements," Emil explained, frowning thoughtfully. "I don't understand why Richter would want the cores, especially since they are related to Ratatosk himself."

"Strange indeed," Raine muttered. "If I remember correctly, there are no cores in Palmacosta."

"Then why attack here?" Lana questioned, anguish in her tone. "It doesn't make any sense."

"Of course it doesn't make any sense." Emil rose from his chair. "Richter wouldn't-"

"Don't defend him, Emil," Reysol growled. "If that man is caught for his crimes then you are going to annul the marriage."

"Y-You can't make me do that! I'm not going to do that."

"Enough." Lloyd stepped between the father and son. "This isn't helping us at all."

"Shall we try the church?" Colette put in hesitantly. "It's a long shot, but it may be possible they had some kind of artifact in their possession Richter wanted."

"The church is one of the few buildings that isn't destroyed," Reysol said. "We haven't heard any word from them about this."

"Well, that's weird," Genis muttered, a scowl darkening his face. "I'd figure the Church of Martel would be the first people out and about."

"No," Reysol responded. "We've seen neither hide nor hair of any of the priests. The people would not be in such a panic if they were out and about."

"It's no use trying to wonder about it now," Raine stated. "Let's head to the church and see what the priests have to say about this."

* * *

As a soldier and commander during the Great Kharlan War, it was never easy for Kratos to deliver bad news to family members about a particular soldier's passing. And now, four thousand years later, it still wasn't easy for him to do; even if he knew that Sheena was strong enough to handle whatever came her way.

Standing in the foyer of the Wilder-Fujabayashi household, Kratos braced himself when he finally saw Sheena's form emerge from the stairway. He pulled his lips into a smile and grasped her hands in greeting when she was mere inches away.

"Sheena."

"Kratos." Sheena squeezed his hands before letting her own fall back to her side. "What a pleasant surprise. I thought you would be busy with Earl Grant's murder investigation."

"It has come to a halt for the time being," Kratos stated vaguely. "I'm afraid that this visit is not-"

"Is it about Zelos?" Sheena interrupted, giving him a sad smile. "Have you finally come to tell me why he is acting so strangely?"

"Sheena." Kratos looked away from the pain reflected in the duchess' eyes. "Zelos has been working with the Desian Faction." Hearing Sheena's sharp gasp, Kratos continued. It was best to get it all out now. "He did so that he could gain my Aionis stone and restore his sister's health."

"I-I see," Sheena murmured, her voice shaky. "How long? How long has he been with the Desian Faction?"

"A few years give or take," Kratos replied, finally looking Sheena back in her eyes. "I am sorry-"

"No." Sheena cut him off once again. "Do not be sorry for something you have not done. I am glad that you have been honest with me about this."

"You are a strong woman." Kratos smirked at the light blush dusting the duchess' cheeks. "I have no doubt that you would have been able to handle the news, but I despaired in telling you this. Zelos is your husband and I know how much you love him."

"That I do," Sheena agreed. "But, my love for him will not cloud my judgment about his actions. You can lay your worries to rest about that particular problem." Sheena suddenly looked hesitant. "I must ask, is he alright?"

"He took a bit of a thrashing, but he will survive," Kratos replied. "For now, I ask that you go to Duke Bryant. The Pope was also involved with the Desian Faction and he is not happy about anyone from the Grand Duke Houses."

"Thank you, but I can handle myself just-"

Kratos shook his head, cutting Sheena off. "The Pope knows you are with child, and despite Zelos and I being on different sides, I do not want any harm to come to his little boy or girl. So, I implore you, Sheena, go to Duke Bryant for the time being."

A soft smile pulled at Sheena's lips. "All right, I will go, but can you tell me where Zelos is?"

"He is recovering with Yuan. I doubt Zelos wants you to see him as he is so I will tell him where you are once he is on his feet."

"Thank you," Sheena breathed. "What will you do now?"

"I will investigate what the Pope was doing and then I will leave Meltokio and find Lloyd."

"Did something happen to Lloyd?" Sheena asked. "He is not hurt or anything is he?"

"No, but I have all the reason to believe that he is tracking Richter down with Emil. I should have known that he wasn't going to let this one go to let me take care of it."

Sheena chuckled warmly at his irritation. "He seems like the stubborn type." She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Good luck, and thank you again for coming here and telling me this personally."

Kratos placed his hand gently onto Sheena's and squeezed gently. "You would have done the same for me." gently taking her hand off his shoulder, Kratos turned and made his way towards the door. "Good-bye."

"Good-bye, Kratos."

* * *

"Whew! That was a lot of trouble!"

Richter stepped out of the Tower of Mana with the Lumus core shining brightly in his hands. He was exhausted, but satisfied. "Indeed it was, but we got what we needed."

Aqua floated next to him, lowering her head to take a better look at the core. "Shall we hatch it? It would better serve us that way."

"No." Richter took off his pack and gently placed the core inside. "Lumen shall stay in his dormant state until the time is right."

Aqua huffed, twirling around. "You're no fun, you know that, Richter? You won't even let me have a new friend to play with."

Richter raised his eyebrow at the whine in Aqua's voice. "If I remember correctly you have plenty of friends to play with. You can, after all, summon monsters of your element."

"Of course I can!" Aqua agreed brightly. "Though, it's no fun when all they do is follow my orders."

"You would rather have them rebellious?" Richter asked in a tease.

"Well," Aqua looked hesitant and slightly embarrassed. "No, of course not."

"Then do not say such things," Richter scolded lightly, bending down and retrieving his bag. "Now come, we have to head to our next destination."

"And that would be...?"

"Triet Ruins, where Ignis resides."

"Triet Ruins it is, but let me ask you something."

"What?"

"Are you thinking of Emil?" Aqua asked. "I know it is a sensitive subject to bring it up, but what will you do if he confronts you?"

"That isn't going to happen," Richter stated firmly, even as he pushed back the doubt of his own words. Emil had a kind heart and was somewhat timid, but Richter knew when push came to shove Emil could be just as stubborn and just as determined as he himself was.

"Are you-"

"It is not going to happen," Richter repeated viciously. "Come, we've wasted enough time just standing out here." He turned away from the centurion and made his way down the dirt road, coming to a stop when Aqua's voice trailed behind him.

"You can deny it all you want, Richter, but if what you told me about Emil loving you is true, then he will come after you."

Tossing a heated glare over his shoulder at Aqua, Richter continued on leaving the centurion to catch up. He knew what she said was true, but Richter didn't want to face the possibility of encountering Emil. Not when his heart wasn't ready for it.

But he vaguely wondered if when the time came would his heart _ever be _ready.


	24. Chapter 24

_"The church of Martel was a sanctuary for everyone in Tethe'alla and Sylvarant. It offered stability for people who were lost and without a path to follow. But despite the good they did, it didn't mean they weren't without their secrets." - Lloyd Irving-Aurion._

Chapter Twenty-Four : Doubts of the Goddess.

Lloyd stood outside the church of Martel, feeling a sense of guilt, unease and wariness. He had never been a religious person, but Dirk spoke enough about the teachings of Martel to get him by and not look like a complete idiot should someone ask him about it. Now, standing outside the church, Lloyd felt that those small teachings weren't enough. Sure, he communicated with the priests in Iselia, but here? In the biggest church in Sylvarant? There was no way that Lloyd was going to get away with it.

But despite his insecurities of standing before the priests who lingered inside, Lloyd knew he had to do this. He had to find out if the church was hiding something and if they were the cause of Richter's abrupt, but most likely calculated, attack.

The hand on his shoulder startled Lloyd, causing him to glance over. Emil stared at him with concern. Releasing a sigh, Lloyd placed his hand on top of Emil's and returned his eyes to the towering building.

"It's now or never, Lloyd," Raine spoke, coming to stand beside him. "Are you worried about what the priests might say?"

"No, not really," Lloyd responded quietly. "I'm just feeling a bit insecure of the little knowledge I have of the teachings. It's a little intimidating to be standing in front of the largest church on the Sylvarant continent and not know a damn thing about its teachings."

Raine, of all people, gave him an amused look for his worries. "I am sure you will get by with what you have and Genis and I will cover for you if need be. But, I doubt they will ask any serious questions."

"Are you sure?" Lloyd turned away from the church to look his former professor in the eyes. "What if we need to go through some sort of trial? One at time?"

"We will think of something if it comes to that." Raine pushed the large door open, wincing when the wood creaked almost ominously. "For now, let us find out if the priests know anything about Ratatosk's cores."

Lloyd nodded, patiently waiting until everyone entered the church save for himself and Emil. He turned his attention to his friend, who was looking just as worried as he felt.

"Are you worried? There's no need to be." Lloyd gently clapped his hand on Emil's back. "Once we go in there's no turning back no matter what or who we may find."

To his surprise, Emil snorted, giving him just as an amused look as Raine had. Lloyd frowned at the sight of it. He had a feeling he was going to be the brunt or the bait of many jokes or situations they ran into during this journey.

"Weren't you worried about going in just a few seconds ago?" Emil questioned, folding his arms. "I was just about to ask if you were sure about this, but to answer your question, yes, I am a little worried about this, but there's nothing I can do but to go into this church and find out if they're one of the few logical reasons as to why Richter attacked my hometown."

As Lloyd opened his mouth to say that yeah, the church or whatever they were hiding inside was one of the few insane- -not logical, there was nothing logical about this- -reasons, Raine appeared, sticking her head out and pinning them down with a glare.

"The priest is waiting for _all _of us," Raine hissed, pulling the door open wide enough for them to slip inside. "Whatever you two have to discuss can wait until later, understand?"

"Yes, ma'am!"

Shooting past Raine, Lloyd slipped inside with a frightened Emil at his side and came to a stop as his eyes caught the splendor of the cathedral. Everything looked as if it was brand new with the way the pews shined under the candlelight and how the tiles showed their reflection, but the thing that took Lloyd's breath away was the statue of Martel in all of her glory standing behind the altar. With an envious snort, he turned to Emil, who looked content and not as amazed at the sight of the resplendence as he was.

"I find it funny that you don't look as worried as you were before." Lloyd grinned at Emil's offended look. "I would say you look like a cat that got a life's worth of cream."

"I wasn't worried about coming in here," Emil huffed, turning his head away. "I was worried about what we would find."

"Sure," Lloyd snorted, chuckling when Emil glared at him for his disbelief. "Come on, the priest is waiting for us."

Approaching the altar where an impatient Genis and Colette were waiting, Lloyd gave them an apologetic smile before turning his attention to the priest who was looking rather nervous and Lloyd didn't have to guess why.

"Hello," the priest greeted calmly. "I am High Priest Maxwell, the head of this local church. Mr. Sage and Miss Brunel have explained the situation to me and I am deeply regretful to inform you- -once again- -that nothing in the church is rare or valuable enough to cause the attack."

Lloyd stared at Maxwell until the priest flinched and looked away. The action caused him to raise an eyebrow. Nothing of value, huh? Folding his arms across his chest, Lloyd coughed, successfully gaining Maxwell's attention.

"Are you sure?" Lloyd pressed. "The attacker, Richter Abend, is a very intelligent man and I don't think he would attack Palmacosta without good, and I mean _damn_ good, reason. Now, I think it would be best if you tell us what you're hiding. I am respectful of the teachings and the holy grounds of Martel, but it won't take long for me to lose my patience."

Maxwell's hazel eyes narrowed dangerously. "You threatened a man of the cloth? A true servant of the goddess?"

"Well," Lloyd pretended to think about the question, earning a growl for his action. "I wouldn't threaten a man of the cloth if he just told the truth."

"I told you-"

"What is this?" Raine asked, her curious voice coming from the statue of Martel. Then a click echoed throughout the room before a low grating sound of wood across stone came a moment later. _  
_

Ignoring the priest's protests, Lloyd quickly made his way to where Raine stood, and grinned at the sight of the open passage way located behind the statue of Martel. Turning back to Maxwell, he pointed to the open door all the while frowning. _  
_

"Not hiding anything, huh?"

"You are not permitted to enter-" Maxwell began harshly.

"We are going to enter and we are going to find out what you are hiding," Raine interrupted sharply, tightening the grip on her staff. "If you do not let us through then I would be happy to tell the people of Palmacosta that you, personally, are responsible for the destruction of their town."

"That's a lie!" Maxwell spat out viciously. "I have reigned over this church for a decade! Who do you think they'll believe? Me or two heathen half-elves, a clumsy girl, a timid boy and an idiot?"

"The people are very wary of the church right now," Raine drawled, a manic grin on her glossed lips. "Especially since you did not come to their aid. Do you honestly think that they would believe you at this point?"

Maxwell stared at Raine for one long moment before nodding in consent. "You may pass, but I will not be responsible for what befalls you. If you die then it will be more convenient for me."

"How kind of you," Lloyd remarked sarcastically. "I'll make sure to survive just for your sake, High Priest."

* * *

Keeping a hand on the wall beside him, Lloyd climbed down the winding stone stairs, their footsteps loud in the darkness, he shivered as he felt small indention's through his gloves as his hand trailed along the wall. He wondered what kind of symbols they were? "Where do you think this goes?"

"I don't know," Raine replied, a short distance ahead of him. "But, what I do know is that we'll probably find that core that Richter was looking for."

"I don't get it," Genis spoke up. "Why would the church keep the core? Why would they need it?"

"No clue," Lloyd muttered, cursing when he almost missed a step; he wondered how long they were going to on. "I know it's not because it's a treasure of Martel."

"You really don't believe, do you, Lloyd?" Emil asked. "I've never really seen you pray or even mention Martel."

"It's not that I don't believe." Lloyd sighed when his feet finally hit solid ground. "It's just that I'm not completely devoted to it." Looking around, he narrowed his eyes through the darkness and groaned when he saw multiple sets of stairs and glowing glyphs. This not only _looked_ like it was going to be trouble, but he had feeling that it was _going_ to be_._ Turning around to ask Raine what she thought, he blinked when he saw the professor with a dreamy expression.

"Raine? Are you all right?"

"This…this is amazing!" Raine gushed, running ahead and placing a hand on the glowing glyph. "This architecture is beautiful. I wonder what time period it's from!"

"We don't have time for this, Raine!" Genis growled. "Let's just get the core and get out."

Raine touched the glyph, giggling it when glowed brightly before dulling again. "I will only be a moment."

"But Raine-!"

"A moment, Genis,"

Lloyd could only watch in exasperation as Raine ran around, thoroughly examining anything she could her hands on. Well, it looked like they were going to be here for awhile.

A long while.

* * *

Angelus Project.

Kratos narrowed his eyes as the name continuously popped up in the papers he scanned through. He, along with Yuan found themselves in the deeper levels of the Great Hall searching for any clue about the Pope's activity, but so far they had only managed to find this Angelus Project, which Kratos had no idea what was about.

"Here," Yuan handed him a piece of paper. "This should explain what this Angelus Project is."

Taking the paper into his hand, Kratos scanned the contents, feeling bile rise up in his throat as his mind processed the written words. Apparently, the Pope was conducting experiments on innocent people- -particularly half elves- -to create ex-spheres, or orbs of power that gave normal human beings extraordinary abilities. More than half of the experiment's subjects died outright while one percent succeeded, only to die a few months later.

"To think," Yuan murmured, "that this has been going on under the church for goddess knows how long."

"Twenty years," Kratos clarified, checking the dates on the few of the scattered papers. "All of these people suffered for twenty years."

"But why? What was the purpose of these experiments?"

"For power," Kratos responded, wanting to rip the papers to shreds. "What other purpose could the Pope have for doing something this sick?"

"What do we do now?" Yuan looked around the silent, dusty lab, flinching when he found a skeleton in one of the broken tanks. "Do we tell the king about this?"

"You will," Kratos rose from the creaky lab chair, gathering a few papers as he did so. "Gather everything you can and burn this lab."

"Burn it?" Yuan echoed. "All of this is evidence, Kratos!"

"No." Kratos waved the papers and disks in his hands. "_This_ is evidence, the rest of this is going to be burnt, erased and never be found. I think the people who died here would want that."

Yuan gave him a half-hearted scowl for his words. "Very well." He held out his hand and grunted when Kratos slammed the disks and papers into his hands. "Where are you going?"

"To find Lloyd."

"You are worried for him," Yuan stated, "but I'm sure he can take care of himself."

"Yes, I know." Kratos smiled at his old friend, chuckling when he received a glare in return. "But I will chase after him nonetheless. Will you deliver this to the king?"

"Of course, but once this is discovered, there is a large chance that the church may collapse and bring Tethe'alla and Sylvarant into chaos. Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yes, I am sure." Kratos looked at the broken down computers, dusty floor, blood stained lab tables and smiled, albeit sadly. "We can not let this go unpunished. I know the church is a sanctuary for everyone, but the people who died here deserve justice and I have every intention of giving them that and the peace they long for."

"You're a sap," Yuan muttered without venom, "but I understand. I'll get rid of this lab while you go and find Lloyd. I'll keep in contact with you if need be."

"Thank you, Yuan. I appreciate this."

"Don't thank me yet, Kratos. This damn city might be in flames by the time you come back…wait, go ahead and thank me, because you might have your wedding canceled."

"Then I retract it," Kratos drawled smoothly. "You may be my friend, but you're still a malicious bastard."

* * *

It had been such a long time since Kratos truly departed from Meltokio. Of course, he had taken trips with Anna during their marriage and to Iselia to retrieve Lloyd, but he had always left the village or city he had visited with the mindset of returning home within two weeks.

But as he stood with his horse just outside the city, he found himself looking down at it with a sense of loss and fondness. He didn't know how long he was going to be gone this time. Days? Weeks? Months? To his surprise, he realized that it didn't matter how long he was going to be gone. As long as he found Lloyd and made sure he was safe and sound. A woof drew his attention away from the view and he looked down into Noishe's eager eyes. With a grin, he reached down and patted protozoan on the head.

"I'm sure you're not going to miss this place as much as I will, are you, Noishe?"

A woof that sounded much like 'I really don't care' was the reply Kratos received and the duke shook his head fondly. Grasping the horse's reins, he gave the city one last smile before turning and walking away.

If and when he returned, he hoped that it would be with Lloyd on his arm and Richter, along with Emil, beside them.


	25. Chapter 25

Disclaimer : I claim no rights to the game Tales of Symphonia. _  
_

Beta'd by : Jan Lee.

* * *

_"We weren't exactly prepared to find what we did in the underground altar. But, I can honestly say that it was...amusing to say the least." - Lloyd Irving-Aurion. _

Chapter Twenty-Five : A Foe or A Hindrance?

Lloyd soon figured out that the deeper they traveled, the more complicated the stairways became. Much to his frustration, he found himself stepping on one panel to activate one more than fifty feet away, only to do the same thing once he reached his new destination. It was tedious, maddening and downright insane. He was happy to see that he wasn't the only one becoming more irritable. Colette had become silent after the twenty-sixth glyph was activated, he could tell that she was angry by the darkening of her usually cheerful blue eyes. Genis, on the other hand, showed his anger rather than stifling it like Colette. More than once did the half-elf strike one of the walls with magic when one of the switches didn't respond. As for Emil, well, the noble decided to take out his frustration on the monsters that lingered in the darkness. He was quick to strike down the bats or rabid-looking wolves that managed to sneak up on them.

If Lloyd didn't know better then he would have sworn he saw a hint of red flash in Emil's bright green eyes as he finished off those monsters, but he quickly decided it was just his imagination.

"Hurry along, everyone!" Raine called out, waving her glowing staff in the air to indicate her location. "We're almost there."

"Why," Emil demanded, walking along the path, his boots clicking against the aging stone, "why in Martel's name is she so, so, cheerful?" He waved an arm along cracking stone walls which were decorated with different types of seals. "What is so exciting about this? I want an answer, dammit!"

"She's in ruin-mode," Genis stated bluntly, quietly cursing as his foot slipped off the narrow path- - he couldn't see anything in this darkness! "Once she's in any type of ruins she'll go absolutely nuts over it. I really don't know why this happens, it's just does."

"And you never thought to tell me about this, Lloyd?" Emil called back, his tone demanding and annoyed. "It might have helped, you know."

Lloyd honestly thought that telling Emil about Raine's "ruin-mode" wasn't going to help anything, but for once, he was going to keep his mouth shut. He didn't need Emil swinging his sword on him and knocking him off and into the pits below. Martel knew what was down there.

"Um, sorry?" Lloyd climbed the stairs after Emil, who huffed at his half-sincere apology. "I really am, Emil."

Emil whirled around to face him, his annoyed features lit up from the glowing glyph behind them. "I know, and I'm sorry for blowing up at you. It's just…I want to get out of here."

"Don't we all," Genis muttered sourly. "I'm sure Miss Happy-Go-Lucky knows how much farther we have to go." Genis scowled at the sight of his sister happily waving her glowing staff in the air.

"Shhhhh! Genis! She can probably hear you," Lloyd hissed. "You know she has really sharp hearing."

"Enough." Emil grunted unhappily. "Just get in the damn glyph and let's get this over with."

Not wanting to argue, nor anger Emil any further, Lloyd stepped onto the glowing glyph and was instantly transported to Raine's side. Raine smiled at him brightly in greeting. He wasted no time in continuing down the path and down a set stairs leading to a small altar.

"Is that it?" Genis asked from behind him. "Is that what we're looking for?"

"It better be," Colette muttered, a pout forming on her lips. "Lead the way, Lloyd."

Carefully stepping down the stairs, Lloyd walked down the narrow path leading to the circular altar. Taking two steps at a time, he approached the altar and frowned at the sight of the dark, purple orb.

"What is this?" he murmured, cautiously picking up the orb and holding it in his hands. It didn't look too dangerous, but then again, looks could be deceiving. Turning, he faced Raine who was twitching in obvious excitement. Not without a hint of regret, Lloyd handed over the orb.

"Tenebrae." Emil answered the question that hung in the air. "The Centurion of Darkness. I don't know why he's here, though."

"Neither do we, Emil," Raine murmured, "but we are going to find out. Come on, let's get back to the church and no complaining!"

Despite Raine's warning, groans of despair floated into the air.

* * *

Triet Ruins was a deceitful place, except for the weather. That was far from deceiving. It was hot, dry and he was about to faint had it not been for Aqua constantly hydrating him. He secretly thanked her for being the Centurion of Water.

"Let's hurry and find the entrance," Aqua muttered. "I'm frying here!"

"Hush." Richter leaned down and pressed the switch to the ruins, successfully opening a clear path in the ground. He rose to his feet and grinned at Aqua's triumphant cry.

"Be careful on the way down," Richter warned, jumping into the hole and landing gracefully on the ground below. Dusting himself off, he released a low hum as he took a good look at the inside. It was magnificent, if he was to use a word to describe it. Marble columns formed a circle, holding up the dark, vaulted ceiling. Images of fire beasts were carved into the wall, glowing in the darkness thanks to the torches on the walls and the rubies lodged into the carvings.

"This is totally unfair!" Aqua screeched, floating around the small altar where Ignis lay. "My chambers weren't this elaborate! Where does he get off?"

"Aqua," Richter deadpanned. "This is tame compared to what your altar looked like. It was mostly made out of marble and sapphire and it wasn't as damaged as this one is. Stop complaining."

Aqua merely huffed and floated closer and touching the orb, squeaked when the movement caused steam to erupt from her fingers. Foolish. She should have known better to touch it. Fire and Water do not mix after all.

"You deserve it for your tantrum earlier," Richter murmured, taking the orb carefully into his hands and placing it into his pack. "Come. We are done here."

"Good." Aqua huffed, waving her arm and transporting them back to the surface. "Where are we going next?"

"Asgard," Richter replied, sliding his back off and sitting on a piece of stone. Being inside the ruins didn't cool him off in the least. It would be best if he rested for a bit before moving on.

"Asgard," Aqua repeated. "Ventus resides there, but he won't be as easy to get as Ignis, Tornitius and Lumen were."

"I take it he is not as even tempered as the other Centurions?" Richter inquired, slowly rising from his seat and dusting off his clothing.

"No, I'm afraid not, but it is something that you shouldn't have a problem handling," Aqua stated. "I have all the confidence in the world in you, Richter."

"Thank you," Richter said tonelessly, ignoring how much love and devotion that was in the Centurion's words. He was no fool to miss Aqua's feelings towards him, but no matter what the circumstances he was in; his love, his heart, would remain with Emil and Aster.

"Come," Richter urged again, hoisting his pack to his shoulders. "We have a long way to go and no, it wouldn't be best if you transported me. It'll draw too much attention and we already have enough of that."

Aqua allowed her arm to fall back to her side. "You're going to walk?"

"You're going to float?" Richter bit back, a reluctant smirk ghosting his lips. "The walk would do me good and I could use the training and time to learn more spells. I'm going to need it."

"You're strong enough." Aqua floated alongside him as he departed from the ruins and back into the seemingly endless desert. "Who do you think is going to beat you?"

"Duke Kratos Aurion and his husband to be, Lloyd Irving," Richter replied, scowling at the thought of them. Lloyd he could handle, but Kratos…the duke was in a different league all together. He wasn't frightened of the man himself, but of the skill he possessed. Four-thousand years of swordsmanship was enough to make even the bravest man wary.

"Are they strong?"

"Very." Richter wiped the sweat on his brow and plowed on through the sand. "Should we run into them do not hesitate to attack them, understand?"

Aqua smiled, her blue eyes shining under the bright sun. "Understood."

* * *

Asgard, City of Ruins, was truly a sight of the past and present. A small, warm village sat in front of set of towering ruins; a remnant of the Balacruf civilization, a time long before he was born.

Sliding off his horse, Kratos grasped the reins and walked further down the path and past the village gates. As he expected, he was met with stares of envy and wariness. He would have commented on the stares, but he was too busy fighting off the strong gust of wind that seemed to come with every step he took. Frustrated with the matter, he pulled his horse and Noise to the nearby inn and secured them in the stables before going in.

"Wind give you some trouble, milord?" a jovial voice asked from the counter. "I won't hold it against ye if you're a tad bit incensed at me for it."

"I would not lash out in anger at you for a matter that is no fault of your own," Kratos murmured, dusting off his tight black shirt and pants. He would not bother with his hair at the moment. It was in too much disarray to fix. "But," he stepped closer to the counter, staring into the man's gray eyes, "you can tell me about these unnatural gusts of wind."

The innkeeper shrugged. "I'm sure an intelligent man like yourself would know of the legends of the Balacruf dynasty, but I doubt that's the problem."

"You mean the creature that lies in the ruins?" Kratos inquired. "It is of wind nature. You have sent no one to rid yourself of the problem?"

"We can't," the innkeeper muttered bitterly. "The guard that was stationed here was suddenly called back to Meltokio for an urgent matter." The man huffed with distaste. "Urgent matter my arse."

Kratos frowned, feeling a pang of guilt for being part of the problem. If it wasn't for him, then Asgard's matter would be settled. A quiet sigh escaped his lips. He would have to solve this himself it seemed. No one in this village could possibly be powerful enough.

"I will deal with your monster problem," Kratos stated, almost wanting to smirk at the shocked look he received. Nobles were known not to solve problems of the commoners unless it affected themselves.

"M-Milord? Are you sure? I hear the beast is quite fearsome."

"It will not be too much trouble." Kratos reassured the innkeeper, placing his hand against his blade. "I promise you."

* * *

As it turns out, it was just as tiresome to leave the ruins as it was to enter them. The irritation that Lloyd felt returned as they ventured out with the Tenebrae core in their hands. It was contagious, for Emil along with Genis grumbled the entire way, despite Raine's warnings not to. Of course, if their situation was merely for curiosity's sake then he would be angered at the fact that all they got for their trouble was an orb. An _orb_. As his booted foot reached the last stair, Father Maxwell's booming voice caught them off caught.

"Guards! Kill them!"

"You have got to be joking," Lloyd snarled, his hands reaching for his twin blades. "After all we went through we have to face some flimsy guards?"

"Think of it this way, Lloyd," Genis retorted, his fingertips alive, burning with mana, ready to cast a spell at a moment's notice, "at least we can get some of this frustration out."

"Raine?" Lloyd asked, unsheathing his blades, the metal singing as he did so. "Make sure that the orb doesn't get damaged."

"I'm afraid that it is too late for that," Raine said, her voice tinged with fear. "It's cracking."

"What do you _mean_ it's cracking?" Emil demanded, keeping his eyes at the door. "Did you drop it?"

"No, I-"

"Nevermind!" Lloyd blurted out. "We'll figure it out later."

Without waiting for his friends, Lloyd rushed out of the stairway and into the fray of guards, plunging his sword through the thin armor of the first one. Twisting the blade, he pulled it out and turned to the next soldier who was stumbling back in obvious fear. As he lifted his blade, his ears caught Colette's surprised scream.

"What have you done?" Maxwell cried out, running towards the secret entrance. "He's not supposed to be awakened!"

Throwing a punch at the frightened guard, Lloyd raced back to the entrance, quickly putting his arm over his eyes as he was caught off guard by the sudden burst of light. As it faded away, he lowered his arm and tentatively stepped towards the entrance, keeping a tight grip on his blade. He peeked inside and stumbled back when a dog-like creature floated through the door.

"Run! Run away!" one of the guards roared, stumbling and running towards the church exit, ignoring Maxwell's scream of outrage at his departure.

"Goddess..." Maxwell whimpered before he too ran for the entrance, leaving Lloyd and his companions alone.

"Well," the centurion huffed, "I am not that ugly. I am not ugly at all. The nerve of those people." Turning, the centurion locked his cold gaze with Lloyd's. "Aren't you going to run as well?"

"No." Heart beating against his ribcage, Lloyd folded his arms. "We have a lot of questions to ask, Tenebrae."

* * *

A/N : And the chapter ends with the gang meeting Tenebrae and Richter and Kratos in Asgard. Confrontation? We'll see.

Thanks for reading!


	26. Chapter 26

__Disclaimer : I claim no rights to Tales of Symphonia

Beta'd by : Jan Lee

* * *

_"I didn't imagine seeing either of them again so soon, but knowing that didn't stop me from feeling elating to see Kratos again. I just wished I could say the same for Emil." - Lloyd Irving-Aurion. _

Chapter Twenty-Six : Together at last.

Lloyd soon realized that talking to Tenebrae was equivalent to talking to a wall- -a black, floating wall that seemed absolutely uninterested in their current plight. If anything, the damned creature seemed _amused _as they continued explaining about Richter and theory of the viscount gathering centurion cores. And yet, as they tried to convince Tenebrae to join their cause, the centurion's attention was locked onto Emil. Lloyd didn't understand what was so interesting about his friend, and he was ashamed to admit out loud that he didn't want to know why exactly Tenebrae had his full attention on the noble. But, for once, he was quick to catch on to use it to his advantage.

So, when everyone's frustration came to a boiling point, he quickly called for a break and pulled a bewildered Emil aside to explain his quickly thought up plan. He couldn't say he was surprised when Emil stepped away from him in bemusement. He couldn't really blame Emil for his reaction, it was, after all, a hair-brained schemed that had a thirty percent chance of succeeding, but what could they do? Lloyd was quickly running out patience and judging from the looks Raine and Colette were sporting they too were becoming wary. He didn't even want to glance in Genis' direction for the fact he could actually _feel_ the mana in the air was answer enough.

"I'm going to repeat this to make sure I get this right." Emil lowered his voice while casting Tenebrae a wary glance. "You want me to act dreamy towards him?"

"Yeah." Lloyd replied. "For some reason, he doesn't stop looking at you and we can use that to our advantage."

"I don't think this is such a good idea." Emil looked vaguely worried. "You do realize that he might be screwing with us, don't you?"

"I do," Lloyd confirmed softly. "But, what choice do we have? We can't leave him in Palmacosta and we can't let him wander around by himself. Who knows what kind of damage he's going to cause."

"Who knows what kind of damage he's going to cause if he's with us," Emil countered swiftly, huffing and folding his arms. "Are you sure we can't leave him here or send him on his way?"

"And do what? Wander the world and causing havoc? We have enough problems with-" Lloyd stopped himself once he saw Emil's face become closed off. Right. He should have known better by now. "I'm sorry, Emil. I shouldn't have-"

"It's all right, Lloyd." Emil shook his head cutting him off gently. "I need to prepare myself for the eventual backlash of what Richter is doing and what he's going to do in the near future if we don't stop him. I don't know if this is going to work, but I'll give it a try."

"Thanks, Emil,"

Clapping a hand on his friend's shoulder, Lloyd guided him back to where Tenebrae and the others were waiting. Much to his despair, Lloyd saw that the situation had not changed, and in fact, it had grown worse. Raine frantically waved her staff in Tenebrae's direction, hissing as each swipe failed to connect to the creature. Colette was spinning her chakrams around her wrists with a dark look in her luminous blue eyes and Genis…well, Genis looked downright dangerous for someone his age. The half-elf leaned against one of the few pews remaining and stared at Tenebrae with something akin to murder in his eyes. It was then and there that Lloyd decided that enough was enough.

Climbing up on the pew, Lloyd grabbed Tenebrae's tail and dragged him down and pinned the creature on the dirty church floor. He tightened his grip as Tenebrae growled and struggled in his grasp. Reaching down, he gently tugged the creature's tail in warning which only earned him renewed struggling and deeper growls. He was about to throw in the towel when Emil suddenly appeared in front of them with a blinding smile that put Colette's to shame.

"Tenebrae," Emil soothed, going down on his knees and gently taking the centurion's hands with his. "Lloyd is sorry for the rough treatment, but you do understand why he did it, don't you?"

"No, I do not," Tenebrae growled. "His actions are quite barbaric and I would implore you to ask this behemoth to remove himself this instant."

"Behemoth?" Lloyd mouthed, catching Emil's eyes which shone with amusement and when the noble made a shooing motion with his hand, Lloyd quickly rose to his feet, only to fall back on his bottom when Tenebrae hissed loudly and knocked him down with his tail.

"Hey!"

"Do not grab me like that again, human," Tenebrae intoned, floating next to Emil. "For the next time you do, there will be dire consequences."

"I wouldn't have to do that if you hadn't been taunting my friends." Lloyd waved his arm in the others' direction. "They did nothing to deserve your teasing and if you would have just answered our questions instead of-"

"I do not have any obligation to help you humans so why should I even listen to your plight?" Tenebrae questioned. "What does it matter to me if some human is using my fellow centurions for his own ends? It matters little to me-"

Tenebrae was caught off guard when he felt a tug from behind and he suddenly found himself staring into Emil's dangerous lime green eyes. The centurion howled in outrage when he felt the noble's gloved hand slap him quite harshly on the back of the head. He had no chance to protest the abuse for the next thing he knew his head was in a very tight grip.

"Now you listen to me, centurion," Emil hissed dangerously. "I don't know what your problem is, but it is best that you get over it right now and start cooperating with us. For if you don't, I'm going to move heaven and earth to put you back in that orb. Do you understand me?"

"P-Perfectly."

Emil released the centurion's head and turned in Lloyd's direction. "Ask your question and let's be on our way, Lloyd. We're wasting valuable time."

"Right." Lloyd gave Emil a wary look, took a step away from the seething noble and laid a hand on Tenebrae's head in a silent sympathy. "We need to know what's going to happen if Richter finds all of the centurion cores."

"The door to Nilfhelm will open," Tenebrae responded tonelessly, "thus unleashing all of its residents onto this unsuspecting world. But I doubt that this Richter is that foolish or that idiotic."

"People can be many things while they are grieving," Raine stated softly. "Foolish is one of them."

"Do you know where the cores are?" Lloyd questioned further. "And how many of them does Richter have?"

"He has four cores currently. No matter where we are, we centurions can always sense each others' locations and it seems to me that this Richter has awakened Aqua, the centurion of water." Tenebrae flicked his tail in distaste. "She's very...abysmal to be around."

_No more than you are, I'm sure,_ Lloyd thought, asking, "Where is the next core? We need to get it before Richter does."

"The next core is in a city known as Asgard," Tenebrae replied, tilting his head to side with amusement. "And I believe that your Richter is already there along with another...more powerful presence."

"More powerful presence?" Raine repeated. "You don't know who it is?"

"No, but what I can tell you is that he is a little bit younger than I am," Tenebrae chuckled coldly. "I can not wait for the inevitable confrontation between all of you. I believe it will be very entertaining to watch."

"You won't be watching anything," Lloyd murmured, coming close and staring into Tenebrae's cold gaze. "You're going to help us and you're going to like it."

* * *

Richter's curiosity burned as he gazed at the silent ruins of Asgard. He wondered what secrets they held or if any ghosts lingered within those hallowed halls. It was at times like these that he longed for Aster's presence. The earl would give him that smirk he was known for and drag him to the ruins to explore, all the while expecting Richter to protect him from any of its dangers. Shaking his head, Richter removed his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose, grunting when the moderate breeze pushed his hair in his face. He swiped the strands out of his face and slid his glasses back on and turned his attention to Aqua who was staring at the towering ruins with something akin to wonder and fear.

"Aqua? Can you sense him?"

"Yes, but..."

"But what?" Richter pressed firmly. "Has the core hatched?"

"No." Aqua shook her head slowly. "There was something in the ruins that's died and I can't sense Ventus' power."

"If you can transport me-"

"No need," Aqua murmured, her body tensing. "Whatever killed that powerful creature is coming our way right now."

Slowly, Richter raised his head, narrowing his eyes at the approaching man. He took a step forward and a sharp gasp escaped his dry lips when he realized that it was Kratos strolling towards him, his strides purposeful. Richter would have drawn his blade had not he seen the glowing green orb in Kratos' gloved hand. He quickly held up a hand as his ears caught Aqua's indignant hiss. The last thing he wanted to do was rush into battle with Kratos without a well thought-out plan.

"Richter," Kratos greeted smoothly, stopping inches away from the viscount. "I never thought I would see you again so soon."

"Kratos." Richter's hand slid down to the hilt of his blade. "I need you to hand over the core."

Kratos' ruby eyes narrowed at the demand, and he held up the glowing core for Richter to see while his free hand slid to his own weapon. "What do you plan on doing with the centurion cores, Richter?"

"That is none of your concern. You should be more worried about the Pope's plans." Richter gripped the hilt of the blade tightly. "Just know that I am not out to harm anyone."

"You're not? I find that hard to believe considering the damage you inflicted on Palmacosta and Mihuzo. You do realize that you attacked the hometown of a duchess and that of your husband?"

"I am well aware of my actions. You needn't remind me." Richter adjusted his footing and forced his body into a defensive position. "I am going to ask you one last time. Give me the core."

Kratos smirked bitterly in response to the demand before replying. "Why do you want it so badly? To revive Aster?" Gripping the core tightly in his hand, Kratos lowered it to his side and out of sight. "You can't revive the dead, Richter, no matter how much you desire it."

"I figured you of all people would understand my desire, my goals." Richter lowered his gaze to the ground. "After what happened to Anna."

"Anna would not want to be revived at the cost of people's lives, Richter," Kratos stated harshly. "If you knew Aster at all then you would realize that he too would not want this. Do not sacrifice millions of people just for the sake of one!"

"Aster is worth it!" Richter roared over the sudden burst of wind that came over them. "He is worth ten million people!"

Kratos unsheathed his blade and pointed it not to Richter, but rather behind the viscount. "Is Aster worth everything, Richter? Even the one who you promised eternity with?"

Keeping his stance, Richter risked a wary glance behind to find his eyes locked with the one he had indeed promised eternity with. Emil stood behind him with Lloyd and three people he failed to recognize flanking him, but that wasn't what concerned Richter. What concerned him was the fact that instead of welcoming him with open arms like Richter of dreamed night after night, Emil stared at him with disappointment in his eyes, pointing a blade directly at his back.

"Emil," Richter greeted solemnly, his heart aching at the sight of seeing his husband after so long. This was the last thing he wanted to do. "Emil..."

"Richter," Emil called out, his blade still aimed at his husband's back. "I don't want to do this. Just give us the cores and we can go home, okay?"

"I'm sorry." Richter unsheathed his own blade. "I can't do that. I no longer have a home to go to nor do I have a husband to welcome me with open arms."

"Richter." Emil's face twisted in anguish. "Richter, please, don't say that."

"I'm sorry," Richter repeated, his vision blurring with unshed tears, but that did not stop him from charging towards Kratos with his heart in his throat and one lingering thought in his mind.

_I'm sorry that I can't go home to you, Emil. I never can._


	27. Chapter 27

__Disclaimer : I claim no right to the anime/manga/video game Tales of Symphonia.

Beta'd by : Jan Lee.

* * *

_"Throughout our lives we fight for many things. Family, friends, lovers or for our very own survival. This is what I believe Emil and I were doing when we fought Richter that fateful day. Emil fought for and against Richter who was his friend, family, and husband all in one. While I fought for Emil himself, who, unbeknownst to us at the time, was breaking with each strike he dealt to the man he loved." - Lloyd Irving-Aurion. _

**Chapter Twenty-Seven : The Wilderness of Sadness**

Lloyd knew that Richter, as a half-elf, held some semblance of power, but never in his wildest imagination did he think that Richter was the powerhouse he was showing himself to be. Time and time again, Lloyd found himself almost beheaded by Richter's sharp axe. Why, if it wasn't for Kratos' fast reflexes then his head would have definitely rolled a long time ago. So, without further ado, Lloyd kept himself a good distance away from Richter, only striking when and if Raine and Genis managed to wear him down by countless magical assaults. But he wasn't foolish enough to think that this run and evade tactic would work forever.

As they continued to fight Richter, Lloyd didn't fail to notice how easily Emil and Kratos kept up with the half-elf. It was at times that all three men became nothing more than blur of magic, swordplay and the occasional punch to the jaw, abdomen or any available limb they could reach at the time. While it was satisfying to see Richter stumble as the battle wore on, it was also worrying about how more powerful Aqua was becoming. It was as if the more injured Richter became the more power she obtained. He knew that the two of them had some kind of bond, which Tenebrae loudly proclaimed once the battle had started, but he didn't think that it was this powerful or beneficial to either of them.

"Lloyd! Watch out!"

Startling at the warning, Lloyd ducked as one of Aqua's summoned monsters shot a water arte in his direction. Rushing towards the liquid monster, he dragged his blade along the ground and killed the small beast in an upwards slash attack that would have probably made novices green with envy. Quickly landing, Lloyd regained his footing and charged towards the water monsters surrounding Genis and Raine and cut them down as well. He slid in front of the two half-elves and shifted his body into a defensive stance, tensing when Aqua winked in his direction. She was worse then Tenebrae; a fact he was never going to admit, even under torture.

"All right?" Lloyd asked, staring at his friends from the corner of his eye. "No injuries?" _  
_

"None." Raine replied, holding up her staff to form a shield when a stray spell of Richter's unfortunately came their way. "You?"

"I'm fine, but I don't how much longer that's going to last."

Lloyd winced when Colette's head was almost knocked off by Aqua's sharp claws only to smile a moment later when the seemingly frail girl came back with vengeance and managed to push the centurion back with a few strikes from her chakrams.

Not wanting to take a second chance to see if Colette would get another attack in, Lloyd left Genis' and Raine's sides and rushed towards Aqua and Colette, cutting down the monsters Aqua summoned as he did so. He slid to a stop as Richter's axe came his way, causing him to duck to avoid it. A shiver of dread passed through him when he turned his head and saw that the axe had embedded itself deeply in the trunk of the tree. He would have to make sure that the half-elf wouldn't get it back because frankly, he was in no mood to lose his head today or to see anyone else lose their head for that matter.

Rising to his feet, Lloyd changed his course and advanced towards Richter who was still engaged with Kratos and Emil. He jumped in and let his blade collide with Richter's, blocking the half-elf's attack. He quickly pushed back and let out a grunt of triumph when Richter once again stumbled to the ground and losing his sword in the process. Satisfied that the man was disarmed, he made to approach Richter only to be roughly pulled back by Kratos. When Lloyd opened his mouth to demand an explanation, Kratos only gave him a sharp shake of the head. He turned his head back towards Richter to see Emil pinning down his half-elven husband, keeping the tip of his blade shoved at the vulnerable throat.

"That is enough, Richter." Emil moved the tip of his blade closer to Richter's throat, watching as sweat dripped down that tan face he loved- -still loved. "You still have time to stop this madness and come home-"

"And do what, Emil?" Richter chuckled bitterly, almost manically. "Live happily ever after with you and all of our servants? You need to let that little pipe dream go."

"It's not a pipe dream if it is obtainable," Emil weakly countered, quickly blinking to stop the tears from blurring his vision.

Now was not the time to cry or to show any weakness in front Richter, but it got harder with each passing moment. He knew the death of a loved one was hard, but he never imagined that Richter would take to losing Aster this badly. It was unfathomable to see and he wanted to close his eyes in denial at how hard his husband was pushing to avenge his friend's death. He wondered, for a brief moment, if Richter would fight this hard for him if he had died in Aster's stead?

"You need to go back home, Emil," Richter urged carefully. "I don't want you to get hurt."

"Funny." Emil snorted, sounding far from amused as he pulled his blade away enough to let Richter sit up on his elbows. "I'm pretty sure you weren't concerned when you attacked me with that axe nor were you concerned when you sicced your little centurion on me-" _  
_

"You're one talk, especially when you have a centurion of your own," Richter retorted sarcastically. "I'm curious as to where you found him."

"Palmacosta," Emil said, ignoring the jolted look his husband gave him. "What? Didn't expect me to tell you? I'm telling you that I'm not your enemy, Richter." He lowered his blade and took a careful step back. "I just want you to come home."

"And I told you," Richter began, slowly rising from the ground, "that I have no home to return to. Aqua! Grab Ventus and transport us away from here."

"No!" Lloyd growled, whirling around in time to see Aqua shove Kratos down and pin him to the ground long enough to grab the core from his pockets and transport herself along with Richter and the remaining monsters away in small bursts of water. Lloyd checked on Kratos, who was still lying on the ground with an irritation on his aristocratic features.

"Are you all right?" Lloyd asked, checking to see if there were any injuries. "Kratos?"

"I'm fine." Kratos took Lloyd's hands into his own and held them tightly. "And you? Are you well?"

"Ummm, I'm fine." Lloyd ignored the blush burning his cheeks when Kratos didn't release his hands. "Not that I'm happy to see you, but what are you doing here?"

"I was looking for you and Emil." Kratos released his hands, rising to his feet, and then dusted off his clothing. "It seems that you enjoy causing me all kinds of trouble, do you not?" He smirked when Lloyd spluttered in denial. "Now that I have caught up with you, I believe that we both have a lot of explaining to do. Come, let us settle in at the inn and you can tell me of your escapades."

"Escapades!" Lloyd finally managed to get out while watching Kratos walk away from him. "You make it sound like I was on some prank field trip or something! Kratos? Kratos, are you listening to me?"

* * *

By the time they managed to get settled at the inn, the sun was setting and coloring all of Asgard in a bright orange color and giving the village a soft look which would seem impossible any other time with the intimidating ruins sitting in the background.

"Centurion cores?" Kratos turned away from the window to stare at Lloyd, who had sprawled on the bed that they were sharing for the night. "Do you know why he wants them?"

"No, not really, but I can tell you that he has almost all of them except...?" Lloyd cast Emil a look only to see the noble on his own bed with his back turned. "Emil?"

"What?"

Lloyd frowned at his friend's tone and decided not to let it affect him. They had, after all, finished fighting the man's husband. "How many cores does Richter need?"

"Two," Emil replied, flopping over on his bed and letting his bare feet hang off the edge. "All that remains is Solum, Centurion of the earth and Glacies, and then he will have all of them. With the exception of Tenebrae, of course."

"Of course." Kratos raised an eyebrow in Tenebrae's direction.

Honestly, it was amazing what trouble his Lloyd got into when he was out of his sight. In the time they have been away from each other, Lloyd had managed to rally his friends to go on a journey to find Richter and put a stop to his actions _and_ had managed to find their very own uncooperative centurion. He wondered what was next on their list. _  
_

"Tenebrae was a complete accident, you know?" Lloyd piped up, understanding the look Kratos wore. "I promise."

"Well, make me sound like an unwanted child, why don't you?" Tenebrae sniffed before disappearing in a cloud of darkness and eliciting a giggle from Colette, who stood in the doorway with Raine at her side.

"Lord Aurion," Raine greeted, stepping into the darkening room. "It is good to see you again, despite the circumstances."

"Indeed," Kratos murmured. "Nonetheless, I am relieved to see all of you safe and sound. I must thank you for taking care of Lloyd and Emil."

"I don't need-"

"I trust you know that it is not an easy task to do, Lord Aurion." Raine chuckled softly, turning her teasing eyes onto her former student. "But you're welcome."

"What are we going to do now?" Genis asked out of the blue. "We have no idea where Richter is headed. Where are the remaining cores?"

"Solum and Glacies," Emil rattled off once again. "I have no idea where Solum is, but Glacies is most likely in Flanoir." He turned inquisitively to Kratos. "Is that where we should head next?"

"Yes," Lloyd blurted out before Kratos did. What was up with Emil turning to Kratos with all the decisions now? If he remembered correctly, wasn't _he_ the one who started this journey? Huffing, he continued, feeling more agitated. "We're heading towards Flanoir in the morning. It's the best lead we got."

"Very well," Kratos consented, his eyes showing his amusement at Lloyd's sudden agitation. "We leave for Flanoir on the morrow, but Lloyd? I think you and I need to have a conversation. In private."

Conversation? Lloyd sighed heavily, waiting as Kratos walked through the door. He was starting to hate that word because it brought him nothing but trouble. _  
_

* * *

__A/N : Thanks for reading.


	28. Chapter 28

Disclaimer : I claim no rights to Tales of Symphonia.

* * *

_"I missed Kratos and his intimidating presence, but what I didn't miss was the fact that he treated me like a child instead of his future husband. Honestly, he thinks I can't take care of myself." - Lloyd Irving-Aurion.__  
_

**Chapter Twenty-Eight : Winter Nights.**

Don't get him wrong, Lloyd was overjoyed to see Kratos again. He had missed everything about his soon-to-be husband. From the intimidating aura he constantly displayed to those beautiful ruby eyes that always reflected his emotions so easily and yet could just as easily show nothing at all. But, what he couldn't stand was the fact Kratos took control of his little motley crew as soon as he was able. Kratos went from fighting alongside them to giving them orders in exactly fifteen minutes flat which Lloyd knew was probably record somewhere.

Lloyd shouldn't have really minded Kratos' taking over, because he was, after all, better at giving orders and probably much better at knowing where to go and who to talk to, but his pride got in the way and he didn't want Kratos in control of everything that went on. It was times like these that Lloyd wanted to stomp his foot like a child and whine about how Kratos suffocated him. And yet, another side of Lloyd, that weak, barely heard, vulnerable part of him wanted nothing more than for Kratos to wrap his arms around him and keep him safe and whole. Judging from the look Kratos gave him as they came to a stop just outside the village gate, Lloyd knew that he was a dead giveaway.

"What did you want to talk about-mmpphhhh-"

Lloyd's arms wildly wiggled as his face pressed tightly into Kratos' chest. He couldn't help but shudder as the smell of sandalwood and jasmine took over his senses. He was quickly given reprieve when Kratos released him and took a step back to grasp his shoulders tightly. Lloyd released a shuddering breath when he found himself staring into those ruby eyes that for once weren't filled with the usual impassiveness.

"Are you all right?" Kratos asked quietly, staring into his eyes. "Lloyd? Are you all right?"

"I-I'm fine." Lloyd reached up and clasped Kratos' hand, squeezing it when Kratos tightened his grip. "What about you? What happened with Earl Grants' murder trial?"

"I'm afraid that the Grants family will not get the justice they crave," Kratos replied somberly. "It seems the Pope couldn't care less about what happened to Aster or the fact that Richter has run off." Kratos pulled his hands away from Lloyd's shoulders and looked out into the plains outside the gate. "Tell me, what have you learned so far?"

"Well..." Lloyd launched into the story from his journey from Iselia until up until this point and eagerly watched the expressions on Kratos' face. The expressions went from surprise, anger and amusement and around again. Though, he would have found it funny any other time to see his fiance's face alive with so many emotions, now wasn't really the time to delve more into the matter. He took a deep breath as the last few words escaped his mouth and leaned against the village gate leading into town.

"Well?" Lloyd asked, tilting his head and staring Kratos down with a questioning look. "What are we going to do now?"

"What we're going to do is go to Flanoir and get Glacie's core before Richter does. For if we don't, I have the feeling we're going to be in very serious trouble. But the question is, what does he want with those cores...?"

"I don't know, but will something happen if all the cores are gathered together?" Lloyd intertwined his hands. "Will something be opened or obtained?"

A thoughtful expression flickered across Kratos' features before he replied. "Something will be opened and I should have known better than to forget what it was."

Frowning at his fiance's words, Lloyd realized that Kratos must be really stressed out for something so important to have escaped his notice; he, himself, was probably part of the reason for Kratos' distraction. Knowing the man for only a short while, Lloyd knew it wasn't like him to forget something so easily.

"What's going to be opened?"

"Niflheim."

"Niflheim?"

"A demon dimension that lies in the Ginnungagap, which is an existing gap between dimensions," Kratos elaborated gently. "If that gate is opened then every single demon will go through and spirits of the dead will come back." Kratos' meaningful look as he trailed off clicked for Lloyd before too long.

"Aster," Lloyd breathed. "Richter wants to revive Aster? But…never mind on the why, of course he would want to revive him." Lloyd turned his gaze back to the inn and his heart went out to Emil. "Do you think he knows?"

"Emil has taken care of most of Richter's projects and expeditions, so I am sure that he does. It's possible he's in denial about the matter." Kratos shook his head, his hair covering his eye. "I, too, would be in denial if my husband was trying to destroy the world for one person."

"You're not the denial type," Lloyd blurted, biting his lips shortly after. Oops, he hadn't meant to say that out loud, but judging from the amused look Kratos sent him, his words weren't exactly unappreciated. "You're not really," he continued, smiling when Kratos chuckled softly. "More of the stubborn type."

"Indeed and that would go double for you, Lloyd." Kratos took a step closer to him, lifting an arm and wrapping it around Lloyd's shoulders. "I take my eyes off you for two seconds and you go on a world-saving journey."

"It wasn't on purpose." Lloyd huffed quietly, stepping closer to Kratos' warm body, sighing as the older man tightened his grip on his shoulder. It felt good to be close to him again. "I just wanted to help Richter and Emil._  
_

"And we will, but to do that we must try to get Richter to see the consequences of his actions."

"I think Richter already knows the consequences of his actions," Lloyd said grimly. "He's sacrificing everyone and everything for Aster's sake. He wants to see his friend one more time and if that means destroying all of us then so be it." He bit his lips and continued on, fearful of the answer to his next question. "Would you do it? Would you sacrifice everything for Anna? For me?"

Kratos stared at him for a long moment before replying. "No, I wouldn't," he held up his gloved hand to forestall any of Lloyd's protests and continued, "because I know that neither you nor Anna would want that. You both love life and would do anything to protect it, even give up your own to do so. Am I right?"

"Yeah," Lloyd replied, blushing as thick warmth filled his chest. Though he had been hoping Kratos would say yes, another part of him wanted him to say no because that was the Kratos he had come to know. The Kratos he had come to know would not toss the world away so selfishly for one person even if that one person was one he genuinely cared about.

"Come." Kratos gently led Lloyd back towards the inn, making sure to keep his arm around Lloyd as he did so. "We have much to discuss."

* * *

Questioning Emil about Richter was both daunting and stressful. It was hard to see his friend grow distant as he answered Kratos' questions about Richter's actions coldly and his once bright eyes growing dull and almost uninterested. But, they had to do this. They had to make sure that Richter was trying to revive Aster and not anything else.

"You knew what Richter was doing and you didn't tell us?" Raine asked after Kratos had stepped aside. "Why?"

"I wasn't sure about it," Emil replied, lowering his gaze to the wooden floor of their temporary room. "If we had kept Richter here then I would have asked him, but as you can see, he got away before I could get anything out of him."

"I don't think he would have said anything even if we would have captured him," Colette interjected timidly, wincing when Emil shot her a hurt look. She didn't mean to be blunt, but maybe it was time that they were.

"He would have if-"

"Emil." Lloyd held up his hands in a placating gesture when Emil let out a small hiss for his interruption. "I know that you love Richter, but you have to understand and stop denying what he's trying to do. He's going to use the cores and revive Aster."

"I know what he's trying to do!" Emil roared, causing everyone in the room to startle at the level of his tone. "I know that he's trying to revive Aster! I know that he's willing to sacrifice everyone and everything to do it." His voice suddenly cracked. "I know that he's willing to trade my life for Aster, I-"

"Hey," Lloyd murmured, rushing forward and wrapping his arms around Emil's shaking shoulders. "I'm sorry, okay? We'll find a way to bring him home and then we can all go back to Meltokio and-"

"We can't," Emil buried his face into Lloyd's shoulder, trying and failing to withhold his tears, "we can never go back to the way things were."

"Sins can be absolved," Kratos stated gently, "and mistakes can be forgiven, but not forgotten."

"Huh?" Emil lifted his head from Lloyd's shoulder to give Kratos a confused look. "What do you mean?"

"I mean as I said." Kratos gave Emil a small, tentative smile. "Things can go back to the way they were if you try, Emil, and you are never one to give up on Richter. You didn't then and you won't now."

"He's given up on me," Emil protested, "and he's given up on everything else."

"But you haven't," Raine put in gently, "and that's all that really, truly matters, Emil. If you try hard enough then Richter will have no choice but to listen to you. Convince him to stop this madness."

Emil took a small step back from Lloyd, lowering his arms back to his sides. "All right, all right, I'll see what I can do, but what if he doesn't listen?"

"Then we'll make him listen," Genis said, wearing a manic smile that shouldn't have suited someone so young. "If he really loves you then he'll stop this, but if he doesn't then we'll have no choice but to stop him. You have to be willing to draw your blade when and if that time comes, okay?"

Instantly, Emil looked stricken at the thought of killing or even potentially harming Richter, but soon enough, resignation settled across his features and he nodded his head in consent.

"I'll be ready."

"See that you are," Kratos murmured before holding his hand out towards the door. "It's getting late. Why don't we all get some rest?"

Lloyd reached over and gave Emil one last reassuring hug before nudging him out of the room and making sure the door was locked behind them. Whirling around, he turned to Kratos with a question already set on his lips.

"What's happening in Meltokio?"

Kratos raised an eyebrow at the demanding tone before replying. "Meltokio is stable and I have someone taking care of it."

"Who?"

"Yuan."

"Oh." Lloyd scowled at the thought of the half-elf who he had not liked since their first meeting. "You didn't have anyone else?"

"No one is more capable than him," Kratos stated, having a need to defend his old friend for once. "You needn't worry about the state of Meltokio. The only thing we need to worry about is Emil's mental health and stopping Richter." He raised an eyebrow at his fiance. "Surely you can keep up with both?"

Lloyd huffed, stepping towards the bed and pulling off his clothing on the way. "I'm more than capable of watching over my friends, but do you think you can handle not being in control?"

"Pardon?"

"Kratos." Lloyd slipped off his boots and thick socks along with his pants and leaving on his boxers and undershirt. "I don't know if you noticed, but you're a bit of a control freak." _  
_

"Control freak?" Kratos repeated, folding his arms and staring down Lloyd. "I am in no way a control freak."

"It's okay," Lloyd continued, pushing the covers off the twin-sized bed. "I'm sure you were raised to be dominate and in control."

"Is this is how the remainder of the night going to be?" Kratos situated himself on the bed next to Lloyd and began to remove his boots clasp by clasp. "Because if it is then I would be happy to put a sleeping arte on you."

"Putting me to sleep like a babe?" Lloyd scooted over as Kratos climbed in, surprising himself when he didn't flush as the duke placed his arms around him. "Shame on you."

"No." Kratos murmured, laying his head on Lloyd's shoulder. "It's perfectly acceptable. Now, go to sleep. We have a long journey tomorrow."

"Right." Lloyd settled in, moving his body closer to Kratos and waited a few moments before asking. "Are you sure Meltokio is going to be okay? What about Zelos and Pronyma?"

"As I said, you needn't worry about them," Kratos replied, his tone already heavy with sleep. "Now, close your eyes and sleep."

"Yes, _Dad_."_  
_

The only reply he received for his words were a snort and a soft kiss placed against his neck.

* * *

Departing Asgard the next morning was anti-climatic and for that, Lloyd was grateful and slightly disappointed. Of course, they were asked by the leader of the town about their skirmish, but Kratos lied smoothly enough by telling the elderly man that the altercation was merely a misunderstanding of mistaken identity and nothing was damaged in the process. Nothing was physically damaged, of course.

"Is everyone ready to go?" Lloyd called out, hefting his pack onto his back securely. "It's going to take a couple days to reach Flanoir and hopefully Richter won't cheat by transporting there."

"Of course he's going to cheat," Emil murmured sullenly, coming to stand beside Lloyd with Tenebrae floating by his side. "He only has two cores left, but I do wonder what he's going to do about Tenebrae here."

"He's not going to do anything about me," Tenebrae chuckled, a manic look in his cerulean eyes, "since I have already cracked from my core, I can't really help Richter with his plans."

"Richter is not a stupid man, Tenebrae," Emil informed the centurion. "He'll find some way to use you or your power. You need to be careful once we engage him, okay?"

"Very well, you do know him best."

"Let's get a move on." Lloyd raised his hand and waved at his approaching friends. "Off to Flanoir."

"Off to Flanoir," Colette repeated as she stepped into earshot. "What's it like?"

"Cold. Very cold, but beautiful."

"Oh yay," Genis drawled sarcastically, earning a slap on the back of the head from his sister. "No need to get more violent than usual, Raine."

As another argument commenced between the siblings, Lloyd took a step back and grabbed Emil's arm as the noble passed by. He smiled at the confused look his action earned him and continued pulling Emil behind the group.

"Are you all right? Really?"

"No," Emil murmured, staring ahead, giving Colette a quick smile when she looked back at them with curiosity shining in her eyes. "But, I will be. I know that this hard on you too, Lloyd and I'm sorry I dragged you into this."

"Don't worry about it." Lloyd shrugged, wincing when the straps of his back dug into his shoulders. "This is what friends do after all, but Emil, are you sure you're ready to take Richter down if the need arises?"

"What choice do I have? If I don't then he's going to bring hell to us all, literally. Either way, this isn't going to end well for anyone."

"It doesn't have to be-"

"This way?" Emil finished smoothly, but not without a hint of bitterness. "It's going to end badly no matter how much I or Kratos or you think otherwise and honestly I'll be relieved when all of this over."

Lloyd frowned at how Emil's tone of voice which sounded desperate, sad and angry which, of course, he had a right to be, but something about the way Emil said those words caused a shiver to race down his spine. He didn't know why, but he had a bad feeling about this. A very bad feeling. _  
_


	29. Chapter 29

Disclaimer : I claim no rights to the anime/manga/video game Tales of Symphonia

Current Song : Release Me.

* * *

_"Flanoir didn't hold any special memories for me, but I couldn't say the same for Kratos. This is the place Anna loved and cherished. It was the place where she requested to be buried. I didn't know at the time, but Kratos held this place closer to this heart than I could have ever imagined." - Lloyd Irving-Aurion._

Chapter Twenty-Nine : Numbing Hearts

Lloyd would admit that he wasn't known for his intellect nor was he known for his patience, but he would swear to Martel that he broke both of those notions during their trip to Flanoir and their arrival. Yes, he knew the trip there would be long and arduous, but he should have known with the way Emil was acting and how Raine would go into rune-mode at the sight or even smell of an ancient stone that the journey was going to be absolute_hell. _It didn't make it better that Genis snickered at how angry he got or how Kratos gave him a look of utter disapproval and disappointment at how much he yelled.

He didn't give a damn how disappointed Kratos was at this point. He just wanted to get to Flanoir and stop Richter. Was that too much to ask? Really? Apparently it was, for Raine suddenly stopped them again and_insisted _that they check out the small cave she had seen in the distance. And of course, Lloyd said _no, _they couldn't stop because they were only a couple of feet away from Flanoir and they did have an objective to complete. Stopping Richter? Saving the world? Hello? He wondered if anything he was telling Raine was getting through.

Fortunately, in the middle of his tirade, Kratos stepped in and physically guided Raine away from the sight of the cave and thankfully kept a firm grip on the woman until they were well within Flanoir.

He couldn't thank his fiance enough and if their situation were any less urgent then he would have proposed to have sex with Kratos. Yes, he was _that _thankful. But in case Kratos didn't like the fact he was thinking of propositioning sex with him, Lloyd would make sure to get his fiance something when the time was appropriate.

"We're here," Genis announced, shivering noticeably as he wrapped his cloak around himself tightly. "I think you forgot to mention how cold it is!"

"I think I mentioned it before, Genis," Lloyd remarked dryly while his eyes soaked in the silent city. Flanoir was as he remembered it; silent and cold. Just as before, the streets were empty and snow blanketed.

"Weird," Genis muttered, a burst of white condensation escaping his mouth. "No one is out and about. Do you think Richter scared them off?"

"He's not the type to cause a ruckus unless absolutely necessary," Emil stated, folding his arms. "I do wonder where he is though."

"Standing around isn't going to help us figure out where he is," Kratos said smoothly. "I suggest we try checking the church first? If Tenebrae was below the Cathedral then Glacies will most likely be as well."

"I don't know about that," Lloyd protested lightly. "I'm not in the mood to run into another Father Maxwell and his holier than thou attitude. Nor am I ready to explore another underground labyrinth."

"I find it amusing that you are complaining about something we're going to have to do." Kratos smirked when Lloyd shot him a glare. "You know that the church is the best place to search, do you not?"

"Of course I do." Lloyd huffed, folding his arms. "Where else would Glacies be?"

"Well," Colette spoke up timidly, causing all eyes to turn to her inquisitively. "I saw a small temple on the west side of the city before we came in. Maybe Glacies is there?"

"Why don't we split up?" Raine proposed and Lloyd narrowed his eyes when he saw the professor start to twitch. He knew that twitch and he wanted to be far away when that twitch turned into a full-blown rune mode.

"I don't think that's a good idea." Lloyd said wryly. "If we get cornered by Richter then we'll be done for."

"I'm pretty sure that Kratos is more than capable of taking care of Richter," Emil said, smirking bitterly. "Why don't I, Kratos and Lloyd check the church while Raine, Genis and Colette check the temple?"

Lloyd opened his mouth to protest the notion, but Kratos beat him to the punch. "Very well," Kratos said. "I only ask that all of you be careful in case Richter is there."

"Don't worry," Genis waved away Kratos concern away as he began making his way back towards the gates, "we'll be careful."

"Good luck, Lloyd!" Colette trailed behind the half-elf waving her hand and grabbing her free one to drag an overly excited Raine with her. "Be careful!"

* * *

The outside of the church was devoid of life as Lloyd, Kratos and Genis came to a stop in front of the small set of stairs. Looking around, Lloyd narrowed his eyes and placed his hand on his blades. He didn't like this. It was quiet. Too quiet.

He _hated _it when it was too quiet and apparently so did Kratos from the frown he wore. Climbing the stairs, he took one hand off his blades and pressed the entrance to the church open, wincing it creaked ominously. He peeked in his head and startled at the sight of the room. The pews were destroyed, leaving only broken wet and burnt pieces to litter the red carpeted ground. The altar was also a mess of broken wood thanks to the podium, broken glass and flower petals were spread out thanks to the broken vase. It looked like a tornado had been through here and he didn't want to think about the church being occupied when it was vandalized.

"Anything?" Emil had come quietly behind him, snapping him out of his daze. "Lloyd?"

"We're okay, but this church isn't." Lloyd slipped into the small crack in the door he made and allowed his shoulders to slump in relief when no one jumped out suddenly. This was good, everything was going _fine._

"Richter and Aqua were definitely here, if the water and scorch marks were any indication." Emil winced when his voice bounced off the walls.

"I know this looks bad, but we need to find-" Kratos stopped talking, narrowing his eyes as his ears caught shallow breathing. "Hello?" he called out. "Is anyone here?"

"Kratos?" Lloyd raised an eyebrow when Kratos held up a hand for him to be quiet. He didn't hear anything, but then again, Kratos was an Angel, but he wondered just how good the man's hearing was. Kratos was, after all, four thousand years old. There was senility to think about.

"H-hello?" an old voice croaked, returning Kratos' call. "Hello? Is anyone there?"

"It's coming from the altar," Kratos informed them. "Lloyd, go check on him, I'm going to take a look around."

Of _course_ there was someone there! When had he ever doubted Kratos? Keeping his face neutral, Lloyd jogged to the altar and let out a startled hiss when he saw the priest on the ground in a pool of blood. He bent down and gathered the old man in his arms. The old man looked horrible, his once pristine robes were ripped and covered with blood, he looked so fragile and Lloyd wondered if the man would break like glass if he held him too tightly. Swallowing, the lump in his throat, Lloyd adjusted the man in his arms and stared into the dulling hazel eyes.

"Who did this to you?" Lloyd asked, wiping the blood from the priest's mouth, flinching when it only came back again. "Father?"

"M-my name is Lucas, Father Lucas." Lucas coughed up mouthful of blood. It welled thick and rich from between his lips. "The one who did this to me was a half-elf."

"Richter." Emil stated solemnly, coming up from behind him and laying a hand on Lloyd's shoulder. "Did he say anything?" _  
_

"H-he," Lucas coughed again before continuing, "he wanted the Glacies core, the Centurion of Ice. When I told him it wasn't here, he exploded with rage, or, rather, his Centurion exploded with rage. He tried looking for a hidden passage and when he couldn't find it, his Centurion proceeded to destroy everything in sight. I was…in the way."

"Did you know about the cores?" Emil asked, bending down on the opposite side of the priest and placing a hand on the shaking shoulder.

"Yes, I knew about them, but I requested that my church not have one." Lucas pulled his lips into a toothless grimace. It was then Lloyd noticed white chips on the floor. The priest's teeth_._ "I knew those cores would be trouble for us all, but the Pope insisted that they be hidden within the churches."

"If it's not here then where is it?"

"The Glacis core is in the temple outside of town. It's not as safe as the church, but it is better than nothing." Lucas shuddered and reached up to grasp Lloyd's shirt. His clasp left bloodied marks_._ "You have to stop him."

"We will, I promise." Lloyd lowered his gaze as the last breath escaped Lucas' body and it grew limp and lifeless. He vaguely adjusted his arms to cradle the priest's lifeless body.

"Come on," Emil commanded, watching as Lloyd stood up, his own face sad at the loss of the priest. "We'll bury him and take a look around."

* * *

The graveyard was in ruin when they stepped outside to bury Lucas. The tombstones were knocked over or destroyed. What was worse was the fact that some of the coffins were out of the graves and open.

It didn't click for Lloyd until he realized that _Anna _was buried here and that they had visited her only weeks ago-

"The Father is gone?" Kratos questioned from behind them, his voice devoid of emotion, but it didn't fool Lloyd one bit. He could tell by Kratos' voice alone that he was devastated at the state of the small cemetery.

He slowly turned around to see Kratos' expression pale and pinched. He didn't have time to open his mouth to say something for Kratos merely swept past him and made his way to an empty space that was free of rubble and uplifted coffins.

"Yes, but-"

"I'll take care of him," Kratos interrupted firmly, stepping forward and relieving him of the heavy, lifeless body. Lloyd watched as Kratos returned to where he had been and laid Father Lucas' body down. He turned away when Kratos lowered his head and started whispering a series of prayers. It would be best if he was left alone for the time being.

To take his mind off Kratos, Lloyd looked around and froze when he spotted a tombstone with familiar etchings of jasmine and the elegantly scrawled name of Anna Aurion. The tombstone looked fine, but the coffin was uplifted and turned over. Without having to ask, Emil stepped past him and made his way towards Anna's coffin. Lloyd joined him and with a grunt they righted the coffin and placed it back into the ground.

"You don't need to do that." Kratos stated, watching them closely. "It isn't your-"

"It _is_ our concern, Kratos," Emil said, cutting off the Duke. "I knew and loved Anna as a sister and I'm not going to leave this place with her grave defiled."

"We're not leaving with any of the graves looking like this." Lloyd grunted as he rose from the ground and patted his pants clean of dirt and snow. "I don't have a shovel-"

"There should be one in the shed in the back of the yard," Emil said, stepping away before any of them could stop them.

"I'm sorry that this happened," Lloyd murmured, staring into the grave. "This shouldn't have-he-"

"It's all right," Kratos said firmly. "This isn't your fault and there is no need for you to apologize for it. And I doubt that this is Richter's fault either."

"How could you say that?" Lloyd waved a hand around the graveyard, once again taking in the destroyed tombstones and turned over coffins. "Richter didn't even bother to stop Aqua nor did he stop to re-bury the ones that Aqua brought up!"

"Lloyd-"

"No! He's going to pay for what he did! He's-"

__"Lloyd," Kratos said sharply, narrowing his eyes and causing Lloyd to take a step back at the intensity of it. "You need to remain calm and think about this rationally."

"Rationally?" Lloyd repeated numbly. "I think you're thinking about this too rationally, Kratos! This is your wife we're-"

"I brought the shovel!" Emil interrupted, breaking the rising tension between them. "We can bury everyone and meet up with Raine at the temple." Emil frowned when he noticed that neither of them returned his greeting or agreed with his words. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah," Lloyd gently took the shovel from Emil's weak grasp. "Everything is fine."

* * *

The Temple of Ice lived up to its moniker as the ice shined brightly and the paths underneath their feet were slippery and had a smidgen of snow on them. Raine would have been impressed with the whole outfit, but something was _off. _She didn't know what it was, but deep inside she knew something was wrong.

Something or someone was here.

"Raine?" Colette asked from the path up ahead. "Is there something wrong?"

"No-" Raine narrowed her eyes when she heard low murmurs coming through the door ahead. "Arm yourselves, there's someone here." She rushed ahead, ignoring her brother and student's protests. She slid through the open door to see Richter and Aqua standing before the altar looking pleased at the fact that they found Glacies.

"Stop right there." Raine pointed her staff at them and frowned grimly. "Drop the core!"

"I'm not dropping anything." Richter stepped away from the altar and drew his blade from the sheath. "I have told all of you that you need to stay back and away and yet, you choose not to listen."

"I'm sorry that it's not in us to listen."

Richter shrugged, summoning Aqua to his side. "Very well, I have no problem with killing all of you."

"That's fine with us!" Genis hissed, drawing his own weapon. "We don't have a problem with killing you either. It's a shame that Emil won't be here to see it!"


	30. Chapter 30

_**Valkyria : I claim no right to the anime/game/manga Tales of Symphonia. Enjoy the story. **_

* * *

_**"It was drawing to a close, this battle, our journey, and with every step we took, I came to realize that Richter and Emil's love for each other was drowning and becoming lost in the deep sea that was betrayal. For Emil was slowly coming to realize that Richter would give anything and everything for Aster's revival." - Lloyd Irving-Aurion.**_

**Chapter Thirty : Icy Inquisitions.**

The Temple of Ice that had once held the Centurion of Ice was now nothing but burnt remains of its former glory. The ice, which seemed eternal, was melted, making the ground wet and slippery. The altar that held Glacies was destroyed and the core placed safely within Richter's pockets. The entire temple in general had become a battleground and at this point, for Raine, it was difficult to decide who was winning and who was losing. She had tried her very best to grab the core from Richter, but the half-elf had managed to evade her every strike and magical attack thus far and while she was impressed with his agility, she was unimpressed with Aqua's taunting.

The Centurion had taken a liking to attacking her and Colette from behind and she was dreadfully sneaky about it. She waited for the right opportunity to strike, using Richter, her master, as bait, and from Raine's perspective, he didn't seem to mind being used for a trap. Raine regretted how eager she had been to check out the temple in her ruin mode.

If there was a time that she wished she didn't have such a burden, it would be now. She wanted to slap herself for letting her eagerness come in between them sticking together. Even as she knew that it was a good chance that she would run into Richter and Aqua here, she still insisted that they come here, but she regretted her decision now. Now, more than ever, did she wish that Lloyd and Kratos and Emil were here with them. At least then they would have stood a chance.

"Give it up!" Aqua giggled sadistically, waving an arm and sending out a torrent of water Raine's way. "There's no way you three weaklings are going to win."

Raine grunted as the water attack hit her and knocked her back, almost pushing her off the edge of a cliff side with a very deep, very dark bottom. She quickly regained her balance and struck back, sending out five bolts of lightning toward the Centurion and smirking when Aqua screeched as the electric volts ran through her body. That'll teach the little wench not to taunt those better than her.

"Richter," Colette pleaded, clenching her chakrams, ready to throw them at moment's notice. "You have to stop this plan. It's not going to succeed and you know that."

"It's going to work." Richter gripped his short blade in one hand and his small ax in the other. "I have made all the calculations and worked out every single angle possible. The results are perfect."

"You sound insane," Genis spat as he stepped in front of Colette and held his weapon towards his fellow half-elf. "You're the very reason half-elves have a bad name."

"The reason we half-elves have a bad name is because those useless humans chose to give it to us." Richter waved Aqua over with a small lift of a weapon. "The only person who has looked past my heritage is Aster."

"What about Emil, Richter?" Raine asked harshly. "Is he still not your husband?"

"I told Emil that this journey of his is useless and I can't return home." Richter's eyes flashed with pain, regret and anger. "I can never return to that wretched place."

Richter raised an arm to command Aqua to attack, but the creaking of the doors made him stop. He wasn't surprised to see Emil, Kratos and Lloyd on the other side.

"Master Richter," Aqua said, her voice trembling at the sight of Kratos, who had already had his blade drawn. "Shall we escape?"

Richter gave each of his opponents and Emil one last look before nodding his head. With a wave of her hand, Aqua surrounded herself and her master in a bubble of water before disappearing.

"Gone again?" Emil questioned tonelessly as he walked up to Raine. "Did he say anything?"

"Nothing worth mentioning," Raine responded, turning her head and avoiding Emil's disbelieving gaze. She didn't have the heart to repeat what Richter had said and the look Emil gave her made her ill enough that she didn't have to repeat anything.

"What about Glacies?" Lloyd asked, looking around and wincing at the state at the temple. The battle here must have been fierce and unrelenting. "Did you guys manage to get the core?"

"No, I'm sorry, Lloyd." Colette lowered her head, her chakrams hanging on her fingers. "Richter escaped before we got a chance to grab it."

"It's all right, Colette," Kratos reassured the younger woman. "Richter will not be able to open the gate without Tenebrae and I highly doubt that our friend is going to cooperate."

"Where is he anyway?" Genis asked curiously. "I haven't heard from him in a while."

"He comes and goes and it worries me," Emil stated. "He might be consorting with Richter."

"I don't think that he's the type to do such a thing," Lloyd said, defending the Centurion, much to his surprise and from the raised eyebrow Kratos gave him, his fiance's as well. "He may be irritating, but he's far from a traitor."

"You sound pretty confident about that," Kratos said. "I would hate it if you turned out wrong."

"I'm not wrong," Lloyd grumbled, though he sounded insecure even to his own ears. "At least we have _one _core instead none. We can't complain about that."

"Yes we can," Genis put in cheerfully. "I don't know about you, but Tenebrae isn't the best companion."

"He is a cute doggie though," Colette said softly, blushing brightly when Kratos and Raine chuckled at her words. She didn't think it was really funny, but everyone had his or her own sense of humor, she supposed.

"Come, let's get back to Flanoir so that we can come up with a plan."

"It's going to be hard to do that considering that Richter has most of the cores now," Raine stated sharply. "I'm sorry, but this is nothing but a wild goose chase! We have accomplished nothing."

"Our plan is not to carry out something, but to stop Richter and we will stop him," Kratos interrupted gently. "I know that you are frustrated with our progress, Raine, but there is nothing that I can do about that."

"Besides," Lloyd chimed in with a grin. "He still hasn't found Solum yet."

"And how long do you think it's going to take until he _does_? We don't even know where Solum is!" Raine huffed in exasperation, turning on her heel and walking down the pathway and towards the exit of the temple, only stopping once to tell the others to come along and stop wasting time.

"Sorry about that, Kratos," Genis muttered as he ran ahead to catch up with his sister and Lloyd only caught the words 'frustrated' and 'worried' before the door slammed shut, leaving Kratos, Lloyd and Colette behind.

"I'm sorry about Raine's words," Colette offered softly. "She's just frustrated with how our situation is going right now."

"It's quite all right, Colette." Kratos gave the younger woman a small smile to reaffirm his words. "I understand her frustration, but anger isn't going to solve our problem."

"Yes, I agree, but what are we going to do about the cores?" Colette looked worried and that pulled at Lloyd's heartstrings and gave him motivation to move toward his friend and embrace her tightly.

"Don't worry about the cores, okay?" Lloyd smiled against Colette's hair, taking in the scent of peaches that she always seemed to favor. "We'll figure out a way, okay?"

"Okay." Colette pulled away and turned to Kratos with an apologetic smile on her full lips. "I'm going to catch up with Raine and Genis. Are all of you coming soon?" _  
_

"Yeah, we'll be right along."

"Okay."

Lloyd waited until the double doors closed behind Colette before turning to Emil who was checking the altar for some sort of clue. "Emil?" he called out, startling his friend. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine."

"Are you-"

"I said I'm fine," Emil bit out viciously, much to Lloyd's surprise and displeasure. "I should be the last thing we're worried about."

"That's not true," Lloyd said soothingly. "Of course we're worried about you, you're our friend."

"I just-" Emil stopped and lowered his head, running his gloved hands through his hair. "I'm just tired of this running and chasing." He slid to the ground in front of the altar, wrapping his arms around his knees. "I'm _tired."_

"I know you are, buddy." Lloyd crouched next to his friend and wrapped an arm around the slumped shoulders. "I can't claim to understand what you're going through, but you do know that we're here for you, right?"

"Yes." Emil whispered, raising his head and showing his tear-streaked face to Kratos and Lloyd. "I know that know, but I should have known that all along."

"Yeah." Lloyd snorted. "You should, but it's good that you know now, right?"

"Right. What are we going to do now?"

"We're going to continue," Kratos said, coming to stand beside Lloyd and Emil. "But Emil, I need you to understand the consequences of letting Richter succeed and even letting him get this far."

"I understand," Emil responded heavily and Lloyd was shocked by Emil's next words. "I will not hesitate to kill Richter."

* * *

_A/N : Thanks for reading. _


	31. Chapter 31

Valkyria: Thanks for reading

Disclaimer : I claim no rights to Tales of Symphonia

Beta'd by : Jan Lee

* * *

_"Emil had dedicated himself to killing or stopping Richter and so did I, but I wonder how much it hurt him to make such a declaration? I know that no matter how brave I am and how arrogant I act, I could never commit to killing Kratos. It was when I realized this that I finally saw just how strong Emil had become and how hesitant I am." - Lloyd Irving-Aurion._

**Chapter Thirty-One: Earthly Bonds**

Ventus, Ignis, Lumen, Glacies, Aqua and Tonitrus. Six Centurion cores were in Richter's possession and he felt a rush of adrenaline at the thought that he was almost finished collecting all eight cores. The problem was getting Solum and Tenebrae, who was in Kratos' and Lloyd's keeping. Getting past his fellow half-elves and that clumsy girl wasn't a difficult task, but Emil, Kratos and Lloyd were another story. He knew that he could no longer manipulate Emil- -the last battle had taught him that, and Lloyd and Kratos were a force to be reckoned with together and individually.

"Master Richter?" A rush of water and Aqua's worried face appeared in front of him. "You're melancholy. Is something the matter?"

"No," Richter replied shortly. "It's nothing that you should concern yourself with, Aqua. Have you found Solum's resting place?"

Aqua's face brightened at his question. "Yes! It's in a rather small village called Luin." She frowned when Richter narrowed his eyes and released a heavy sigh. "Master Richter?"

"Luin, of all the places in this world," he muttered. He had already attacked Palmacosta, his former husband's hometown, and now he had to get to Luin? Martel definitely decided to show his displeasure toward him.

"Where in Luin is it, exactly?"

"Lake Sinoa." Aqua responded. "The area was empty when I checked it, but there was a barrier around the altar." Aqua looked chastised when Richter's lips thinned at the mention of the barrier. "I-I couldn't get past it, Master Richter. I'm sorry."

"It's fine. I didn't expect you to do anything other than to find the core." Richter rose from the sanded ground and dusted off his trousers. "I can take care of the rest."

"What if they show up?"

Richter gave the centurion a cold look. "We'll take care of them as we did before. There is no need to be afraid of them."

Even if he was

* * *

Luin was just as he remembered it; boring, peaceful and stifling. Yet, he remembered the summers that he spent here with Kratos and Anna and Aster. Those wonderful vacations he had with them. This place held many memories for him, but memories could be forgotten and burdensome. He wouldn't let those memories hold him back. The beloved memories of Emil were enough of a burden and he couldn't allow Aster and Kratos and Anna to interfere as well.

Richter strolled past the houses, inns and shops, but he wasn't surprised to see that a few of them still bowed their heads in his direction. Good. It seemed that his "crimes," hadn't reached here. That, or the people refused to believe what they heard. All the better for him, he supposed.

He reached Flora's home and gave it a brief glance before continuing on and toward the edge of the village where Lake Sinoa was located. He glanced from the corner of his eye to see Aqua trailing behind him at a deliberately slow pace.

"What is it, Aqua?"

"Does this place hold memories for you, Master Richter?"

"Special memories," Richter replied, walking past the gleaming lake. It hadn't changed at all since his last visit and Richter was reluctant to admit that it warmed his heart a small fraction. Many memories were made at this lake as well.

"The caves are just down this road, Master Richter." Aqua floated by him and pointed to the mention destination with glee. "And so is Solum."

"Solum is only one more step towards our goal," Richter stated, turning to Aqua who was listening with a rapt expression. "We also need Tenebrae to open the door to Nilfehelm."

"The Lord Ratatosk?" The question was asked with just a touch of hesitation and it caused Richter to stop just outside the cave. Seeing the fearful look on the centurion caused a sigh to escape Richter's lips.

"You needn't be so hesitant in mentioning Ratatosk," Richter murmured. "I am on the path of revenge and he, too, is one of the pawns that I need."

"Pawns?" Aqua breathed, biting her lips. Ratatosk, lord of all monsters, a pawn? Is that she was to Richter as well? A pawn to be used and thrown away?

"Master Richter-"

"You are my partner, Aqua." Richter placed a hand against the entrance of the cave. "You led me here and helped me gathered the cores. I don't consider you a pawn. At all."

Aqua blushed and lowered her head at Richter's words. "I-thank you, Master Richter."

Richter grunted and stepped inside the cave and he wasn't surprised at the number of monsters that littered the cave, but what did catch him off guard was the number of water monsters.

"Aqua? Did you send for them?"

"Yes, we really don't know how close Lloyd's group is and I just wanted to be cautious about it." Aqua looked worried and a surge of annoyance flowed through him at the sight of it. She should know by now that she didn't need his approval for every single decision. She wasn't a mindless doll.

"Where is Solum?"

In response to his question, Aqua floated toward the left tunnel of the cave and waved him along. The tunnel was a tight fit, but not enough to irritate him as finally came out a the end and sitting at the back of the small room was a red rock altar with Solum's brown core glowing brightly and like Aqua previously mentioned, the core was surrounded by a barrier.

"I didn't realize that the barrier was that strong." Richter narrowed his eyes at the sheer power of it. If had been any more powerful than he would have felt it from the cave's entrance.

"Someone knew that it was here and put the barrier around it," Aqua whispered. "Do you think that it was one of the people of Luin?"

"I doubt it. No one in this village has magical capabilities." Richter snorted, amused at the very thought of it. "No, this barrier has probably been here for a while, but the problem is how do we break it?" He stepped closer and placed his hand against the barrier, wincing when it snapped at his touch and caused his gloves to sizzle and fray at the edges. It was indeed powerful. _  
_

"Master Richter? What are we going to do?"

Richter didn't reply as he continued to inspect the barrier. It was nothing he had seen before it all his travels and the frustration of not knowing caused him to punch it. He was so close and this stupid-

Wait.

"Aqua," Richter said. "Can you find where Tenebrae is?"

"Yes, but why would you want that bonehead for?"

Richter turned to the barrier and smirked. "He's going to lead Kratos and Lloyd here and they're going to help us out a little. I want you to find them and lead them here." He turned and moved out of the cave. "I'll be waiting here."

Aqua smiled in glee as she disappeared in a burst of water. "Yes, Master Richter!"

* * *

Lloyd didn't want to admit nor did he want to say it out loud, but he was stunned by the determination Emil displayed when they finally managed to return to Flanoir. The sarcastic and sly Emil was gone and in his place was a young man whose husband had been snatched away by a memory that he could never stand up to. It was heartbreaking to see that the friend he met when he first came to Meltokio was gone. Yet he understood why. He knew of the loss- -though different in ways- -that Emil was going through and he would do everything in his power to help his friend.

He just wished he knew where to go from here.

Which is exactly why Lloyd found himself pacing in his rented room at the Flanoir inn with an amused Kratos, Genis and Raine watching from their seats at the window. He didn't know what was so funny! With the exception of Tenebrae, they had no cores and they had no clue where Richter was or headed. Why was he the only one panicking?

"What are we going to do?" Lloyd stopped pacing and faced his fiancé, who merely stared at him with silent, stern eyes. "Where are we going to find Richter?"

"There are only so many places he can hide from us, Lloyd," Emil stated, sitting at the desk with a map spread over it. "We've been to almost every village and city within Sylvarant and Tethe'alla. We just need to pick a place to head to and start searching."

"Isn't that a little risky?" Colette asked timidly. "By the time we finish searching the other towns, Richter would have already found all the cores."

"Richter won't be able to make a move without Tenebrae's power," Raine said. Her voice resonated with confidence. "Though, I do wish we could have obtained Glacies and Solum."

"I very much doubt that Richter has obtained Solum," Tenebrae said, appearing the room in a cloud of shadows. "For every core taken off its altar, the balance between the monsters is upset just a small margin. It will not upset the mana balance that the world has, but should those cores be used for Richter's intended purpose then I can not say that this world will survive."

"Which is why we have to stop Richter," Genis said, frowning, "by any means necessary."

"Tenebrae, you said that you can feel when a core has left its altar?" Kratos asked. "Is it possible that you can tell us where the cores are?"

"No, I'm afraid that I can't." Tenebrae looked regretful, much to Lloyd's surprise. "As a safety precaution, the cores are relocated every five hundred years and unfortunately, this was the year they were to be relocated."

"You didn't bother to see where they were now?" Genis asked. "Aren't they your friends?"

"We were never on the best terms with one another," Tenebrae responded. He seemed to stiffen under the criticism. "I can feel that they are on this world, but that is as farthest as they would allow."

"I think you need to be nicer to your fellow centurions, Tenebrae," Lloyd remarked dryly. "I-" Lloyd stopped when a burst of water appeared and Aqua's slim form floated in Kratos direction. "What are _you_ doing here?"

"Not to talk to you, that's for sure," Aqua teased. "I have a message from Master Richter!"

"A message?" Emil echoed, ignoring Aqua's snicker at his tone. Lloyd felt the ice in Emil's voice from his position across the room. "What could he want to tell us that's so important?"

"The last core is in Luin if you want to get it," Aqua stated. "Though, I wouldn't know what you losers would do with it. It'll pretty useless in your hands, Emil."

"We'll see about that." Emil placed a hand on the hilt of his blade. "We've received your message, Aqua. Why don't you leave and give Richter my regards, won't you?"

Aqua snorted and left in a burst of water, leaving the group confused and Tenebrae disgruntled. "What now?" Genis asked. "Do we go to Luin?"

"It's obviously a trap, but we need to stop Richter from obtaining Solum, no matter how fruitless it may seem," Emil stated. "If he sent Aqua here then that must mean that he _can't _get to Solum."

"So, what you're telling me is that we're going to willingly into a trap and we're going to give Solum to Richter so that he can open the gate to hell?" Lloyd said, not quite believing that this was their great plan.

"That's exactly what I'm saying."

"Well," Raine sighed. "At least he's honest about his motives."

"Are you sure you want to do this, Emil?" Kratos asked. "I know it's not fun to constantly encounter Richter in such a way."

"I'm sure that I want to do this," Emil answered firmly. "Richter started this whole mess solely because he wanted revenge against Ratatosk and he wants Aster back. This is nothing but a big temper tantrum."

"Very well, we will head to Luin in the morning."

* * *

The temperature in Flanoir dropped during the night and the snow fall increased, but none of this bothered Lloyd as he ventured out into the city's snow-covered streets wrapped tightly in a coat and scarf. He welcomed the blissful silence and was happy to be away from the tension that surrounded the group- -Emil especially.

His friend _changed__, which_ was understandable, but it hurt seeing him that way. He wondered if he could do the same thing that Emil was doing now? Hunting down his husband and knowing that the result would be life in a damp dungeon or a blade through the gut. Was it really so easy to do such a thing?

No, of course it wasn't simple and he was stupid to think that it was.

"Poor Emil," Lloyd whispered into the air, coming to a stop outside the damaged church. If only prayers really could come true then he would pray that none of this ever happened and that Emil and Richter were still the happy and stubborn couple.

"You shouldn't be out and about alone." Kratos startled him, causing him to whirl around. His fiancé stood a few feet away, camouflaged in a darkened doorway. "You don't know who is wandering around at this time of night."

Lloyd raised an eyebrow and took a look around to prove his point. "The streets are empty, Kratos, and I'm capable of defending myself."

Kratos chuckled and stepped forward. "I am aware of that, but I'm a little wary about Aqua's appearance. She's a sly one."

"That she is." After an amicable moment, Lloyd shuffled into Kratos' space. "Kratos? What do you think about this whole situation with Emil and Richter?" Lloyd looked into the older man's eyes. "What do you think is going to happen?"

"I don't know." The answer was honest and blunt which Lloyd appreciated. "Emil or I will end up killing Richter to stop his plans, but then again, we might not have to."

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean is that Richter may yet listen to reason," Kratos explained. "I have known him for years and his determination is one of his best qualities. If he wanted this world to become hell itself then it would have been by now."

"So, you're saying that something is holding Richter back?"

"Yes."

Lloyd couldn't think what it would be. "What is it, then?"

"His lingering feelings for Emil," Kratos responded heavily. "Yet, I think that Emil's feelings toward Richter are fading away. You must understand that Emil has had to compete with Aster for years despite the fact that he _won."_

"So, you think that Emil would have no problem with ending Richter's life?" Lloyd asked, not being able to comprehend it. His sweet and caring friend striking down someone with cold-blooded efficiency didn't seem possible. It didn't seem…right.

Or maybe he wasn't giving Emil enough credit.

"If enough hatred is in Emil's heart, then yes, he is more than capable of ending Richter's life. Not only in revenge for his broken heart, but also as a means to an end in saving the world."

"What if _I_ stopped him and came up with another way to end it all?"

Kratos raised an eyebrow at Lloyd's words. "You wish to interfere? We are all fighting to put an end to Richter's madness, but it will ultimately come to a battle between Emil and Richter. If you deny Emil one more last chance to confront Richter, there may be a chance that he will hate you for it."

"I know that, but I can't just stand by and let him destroy himself." Lloyd blushed and looked to the snow-covered ground when Kratos smiled at him. "Emil has done so much for me when I first came to Meltokio and finding a different path is the least I can do for him." He looked back up into Kratos' eyes. "Will you help me?"

Kratos sighed, but Lloyd didn't miss the fondness behind it. "I will do the best I can, but I can't promise anything more than that, do you understand?"

"Yes, I understand, and Kratos?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you."


	32. Chapter 32

Valkyria : Thanks for reading.

Disclaimer : I claim no rights to the anime/manga Tales of Symphonia

* * *

_"This blind hatred and murderous intent between Emil and Richter caused my heart to break, but the distance between Kratos and I seemed worse. Of course, I was fond of him, but differing views of the situation regarding our friends caused our own relationship to suffer. I wonder when and if this tragedy of a journey is going to come to an end, and when and if things are ever going to turn to normal. I learned later- -much later- -that nothing was ever that easy. A lesson that I should know by now." - Lloyd Irving-Aurion._

**Chapter Thirty-Two: Race to the Finish Line**

Lloyd never had the chance to visit Luin. It wasn't because it was from a lack of funds or a sense of adventure; it was because he grew homesick so quickly and he missed Dirk so much when he even had to make a small delivery outside the village. However, thanks to Emil's story, he felt like he had experienced what the village was like in some shape or form. Unfortunately it wasn't enough for him to navigate toward Lake Sinoa.

"He's still sentimental," Emil stated coldly upon their arrival. "He hasn't touched a single hair on a villager nor has he destroyed any of the buildings."

"This place holds a lot of memories for you and him," Lloyd remarked, flinching when Emil turned his frigid gaze to him. "I am sure that Richter still-"

"Richter _isn't _the same man that I introduced you to, Lloyd," Emil cut in. "He is cold, manipulative, and doing whatever in the hell he pleases to obtain his goal. If you don't understand that, then you're blinder than I thought."

"That's an unfair accusation, Emil," Lloyd murmured, pushing down the hurt he felt from the comment. "I'm on your side and we have the same exact goals." _  
_

"Do we?" Emil questioned. His eyes grew darker with distaste, and the question caused Lloyd take a cautious step back. "You have been slightly disagreeable since we saw Richter last-"

"Emil." Kratos interrupted, as he stepped between Lloyd and Emil. "That is enough."

"You don't understand what I'm going through, Lloyd," Emil continued, glancing at his friend over Kratos' arm. "Richter must be stopped."

"I know, but your last resort should be killing Richter, Emil…it shouldn't be your first and only option!" Lloyd cried out. His heart beat fiercely against his chest because he never thought that he would have a confrontation with Emil in the middle of Luin. Not like this. Of course, he knew he would be confronting Emil on his behavior, but never in public like this. Not where Kratos, Genis, Colette and Raine could watch. _  
_

"He deserves it!" Emil bit out the words, and it was then that Lloyd saw it. Saw the bitterness and anger reflected in Emil's eyes and voice. It was so strong that Lloyd's feet moved of their own accord toward his friend and his arms wrapped around Emil's shoulders once he was close enough. He gripped the slim shoulders tightly when Emil decided to struggle against his hold.

"Let me go! Now." Emil increased his struggle and almost knocked Lloyd back. "I mean it, Lloyd."

"No."

"Lloyd-"

"No," Lloyd murmured, burying his face into Emil's soft hair, inhaling the scent of sea that seemed to surround his friend. "I'm not going to let you go because you're hurting right now."

"Shut up," Emil burst out. He shoved against Lloyd's chest with enough force to send Lloyd back this time. "I'm not hurting and I don't want your damned sympathy!" Emil gave Lloyd a withering glare before turning on his heel and taking off toward Lake Sinoa.

"Emil! Emil, wait!" Lloyd yelled, starting to race after his friend but Kratos stopped him when a hand landed on his arm and dragged him back. He glanced over his shoulder to see Kratos shaking his head.

"Let him go," Kratos commanded and released his arm. "He's hurting and he's willing to lash out at you, me, or any one of us." _  
_

"Kratos, he's heading toward Lake Sinoa," Lloyd said grimly, trying and failing to keep calm. "There is no way he could take on Richter by himself."

"No, he can't, but you running after him won't help us or him," Kratos said. "The best thing we can do is trail behind him and make sure he doesn't get himself killed."

"Okay," Lloyd whispered and took two deep breaths, filling his lungs and clearing his head. "Okay."

"Come," Kratos said, his tone gentler than Lloyd thought he could manage. "We have a mission to accomplish."

* * *

Lake Sinoa was gorgeous during this time of year. The sun reflected off the water, increasing its beauty, and the wind was strong enough to carry the scent of the salt water into the air. However, none of this mattered to Emil as he raced across the wooden bridge as if the hounds of Nilfelhelm were at his heels. The sounds of his boots slapped against the wood, distracting him from Lloyd's words.

Richter's words or actions didn't hurt him. Not anymore. Instead, he was angered at his husband's deeds. He could not understand how such a bright and wonderful man could turn on everything he claimed to love for revenge.

Did love really make one insane? Did love cause one's judgment to lead them astray?

He wanted an answer to so many questions, but the only thing that mattered now was getting to Richter and stopping him. The answers and regrets he wanted, and would have, could come later.

Much later.

Emil came to a smooth stop as the cave rose into his sight. He leaned on his knees to catch his breath and tensed when he heard a rush of footsteps coming behind him. He could have no further reprieve. Jolting to his full height, he yanked his blade free from its sheath. Spinning, he had his blade poised to swing, but he halted the motion once his eyes locked with Lloyd's._  
_

"Good." Lloyd breathed, ignoring the fact that Emil was about to strike him down. "I'm-we're glad that we found you."

"I don't-" Emil stopped to sheathe his blade. "I don't understand him anymore, Lloyd." He reached out and grasped Lloyd's gloved hands desperately, trying to keep a tight grip on them and his reality. "I keep telling myself that I'm ready to end this, but some part of me is still-"

"In love?" Lloyd finished. "I know, which is why I am here to stop you from making a dreadful mistake." He dropped their twined hands to grab Emil's shoulders and rattle them with a good shake. "The ending to your story may not be what you wanted it to be, Emil, but I want you to be content with it at least."

"You're telling me that I have no chance of being happy?" Emil asked softly. "None at all?"

"He didn't say that," Colette said to Emil as she came to stand beside them. "You still have a chance to be happy, but I think that it might be a long way away."

"Happiness seems to keep running away from me, doesn't it?" Emil said, turning away from his friends to stare into the cave's entrance. Richter was there waiting for him. Ready to lock blades and magic and to obtain the last core to unlock the gateway to hell. All of this didn't seem real and yet, here he was, one step away from fighting Richter.

Raine spoke up from the side. "It does, but we'll help you find that happiness, Emil. Don't allow yourself to think that you cannot be happy after this is over. You can come to Iselia with us and live out a more simple life."

"She's right," Genis put in. "You don't have to deal with Meltokio or the nobles again if you don't want to."

"It feels like that I've failed," Emil admitted. His face was grim. "I've failed Richter, my _husband_, the person that I am supposed to spend the rest of my days with. I didn't help him mourn Aster's death and I didn't stop him from doing all of these foolish things." Emil blinked his tears away and continued. "All I can do is to stop him hurting anyone else."

"We will stop him, but killing him won't help you or him." Lloyd reached out his hand to grasp Emil's wrist, a gesture meant to tell his friend that he was here and he was not going anywhere. "Let him see what he's done. Allow him to repent. Death is neither too good nor bad for him, do you understand?"

"I understand, but I don't know if I can stop myself from hurting him more than necessary." Emil tugged his wrist from Lloyd's grip. "He-he-"

"He hurt you," Kratos murmured, as he stepped closer and leaned down to stare into Emil's pain-filled eyes. He, too, reached out a hand to grasp the young noble's forearm. "Let Richter know this."

"What?"

"Let him know that he hurt you." Kratos repeated quietly, all too aware of Lloyd's sharp intake of breath at his words. "Every strike, punch, kick, and cast of artes. Let him know through your power that he hurt your soul."

Emil chuckled weakly at Kratos' words, but the understanding flashed in his eyes. "Won't that make me sound like a vengeful housewife?"

"Nah," Lloyd disagreed. "It'll sound like you want to give your husband a sound ass-kicking, right?"

Emil's eyes brightened at Lloyd's words and for the first time since the journey started, a smile pulled at Emil's lips, the gesture full of joy and determination that caused Lloyd to return the gesture with as much emotion as his friend had.

"Right."

* * *

The cave holding Solum's core was divided into three tunnels and Lloyd was hesitant to split up the group, but the sooner they could find the core, the better off they would be. It seemed Kratos shared his sentiments for without an argument, he'd split their group into pairs of two and sent each of them down a tunnel. Lloyd found himself alone with Kratos. He progressed down the hall with his fiancé quietly until Kratos spoke up, his deep voice echoing off the rock walls.

"It seems like your plan is working."

"What?" Lloyd glanced at Kratos from the corner of his eye. "What do you mean?"

"You said that you would stop Emil from killing Richter and it seems like you succeeded in that endeavor." Kratos replied, smiling at him in the dim darkness of the tunnel. "I am proud of you, Lloyd."

"Thank you," Lloyd said, slowing his pace when a thought occurred to him. "Kratos? Were you going to let them do this to each other?" He came to a stop when Kratos made no reply to his words. "Kratos?"

"Yes." The reply was cold, distant, and sent a very heavy shiver down Lloyd's spine. "I was going to let them kill each other."

"_Why?"_

"The balance of this entire world is at stake, Lloyd, and Richter has no intention of stopping his plan. In fact, he has made that quite clear. If the only way to stop Richter was to snuff out his life, then so be it."

"He's your friend!" Lloyd cried, rushing over and pushing Kratos back against the hard wall in a fit of fury. "How could you just blatantly say that you would kill him? Put an end to his life like it means nothing!" Lloyd pushed Kratos again when his fiancé remained silent, still. "_Answer me!"_

"As a means to an end," Kratos murmured. He held Lloyd's waist and pushed him away. "Too much is at stake to allow Richter to live."

"He's your-"

"Friend?" Kratos finished smoothly, as he tightened his grip on Lloyd's hips. His angelic hearing picked up Richter and Emil's screaming match. The words were filled with anger, pain, and relief. His lips thinned when he heard the sliding of metal and the casting of magic. The battle had started without much conversation between the two men, as he figured it would.

They should be there, he and Lloyd, to stop the fighting and try to instill some reason into Richter and Emil, but Kratos knew that both of them _needed_ this and who was he to stand in the way?

Who was he to stand in the way of two men; one to save his marriage, and one to unleash vengeance on a world that had done nothing wrong?

"You can hear them, can't you?" Lloyd asked, stepping out of Kratos' hold. "They're fighting? Now?"

"Yes."

"I have to go," Lloyd said, taking another step back, flinching under Kratos' gaze. "_I have to go."_

"Go."

"You're not going to do anything about this?" Lloyd asked. "Nothing at all?"

"No, not yet," Kratos replied. "You will understand in time what I am doing."

"For our sake, for the sake of our _future marriage, _I sincerely hope that you do, Kratos." Lloyd gave Kratos one last hurtful look before racing off to his friends, sending a prayer to Martel that he wasn't too late.


	33. Chapter 33

Disclaimer: I claim no rights to the anime/game/manga Tales of Symphonia

* * *

_"I watched as their swords and magic clashed. I watched as they screamed and let out their sadness, anger, and grief. I watched and I did nothing." - Lloyd Irving-Aurion._

Chapter Thirty-Three: Broken Hearts

* * *

Lloyd's lungs were on fire as he raced through cave where Richter and Emil were and he hoped he wasn't too late to stop them from killing each other. Behind him, he could hear another set of footsteps catching up to him. He glanced over his shoulder. Kratos ran behind him, his hand clasped tightly on the hilt of his blade.

Kratos caught his gaze and nodded and the look in his eyes- -confident and sure- -caused Lloyd's heart to skip a beat and his stomach to drop. He didn't know what Kratos was going to do, and while he didn't like it, he knew that Kratos wasn't going to let him handle this alone. As he approached, the sounds of metal clashing and screaming grew louder and his heart raced faster as he heard the sadness and rage in Emil's voice and the frustration in Richter's. Neither emotion sounded right coming from either men.

"Wait." Kratos grabbed his elbow and pulled him back, inches from the room. "Lloyd-"

"Don't tell me to stop." Lloyd tried to wrench his arm out of Kratos' hand, but to no avail. "I have to get them to stop fighting."

Kratos tightened his grip and dragged him to the entrance of the room where Richter and Emil fought. "Do you see?" Kratos forced Lloyd to watch as Richter and Emil crossed blades again and again, the sounds of metal echoing in the room, a stark contrast to the lovers' screams. "Do you truly want to interfere with this battle?"

"I-" Lloyd couldn't take his eyes away from the battle. Raine, Genis and Colette were standing near the far left wall watching with pinched expressions. "I _have _to, Kratos. I can't let them go through with this."

"You can and you will," Kratos commanded. "Think for a moment. What would you do if we were in this situation? Would you want someone to interfere with _us_?"

Lloyd opened his mouth to respond, but the answer died on his lips. No, he _wouldn't _want anyone to interfere if this happened to him and Kratos. Moreover, he _didn't _want this to happen to him and Kratos. Hell, he didn't want this to happen to anyone, but, as he watched Richter and Emil cross blades, he began to understand what Kratos said. In some twisted and horrible way, they _both _needed the confrontation and who was he to stand in the way? Who was he to stop them?

Even though he was their friend, he had no right stopping a battle that would come to a head sooner or later.

So he watched, watched helplessly as Richter and Emil crossed blades and magic again and again, screaming their anguish and anger at each other. The longer the battle progressed the more Lloyd wanted to turn away from the sight. These were his friends- -people who welcomed him into Meltokio with open arms. He was envious of Richter and Emil's marriage and to watch it crumble hurt to watch, and finally, he turned his eyes away from the sight despite Kratos' tugging.

He turned away, but the sounds of battle didn't fade and it caused his eyes to sting with unshed tears. This couldn't be happening. He _didn't _want it to happen.

And yet, it was happening, and for the first time in his life, he stood by and let it. He kept his back turned as the sounds of battle grew louder and louder until the only thing he could hear was the roaring flames of fire artes and sharp howl of wind artes. Vaguely, he felt Kratos' hand on his shoulder and he reached up and placed his hand over his fiance's, giving it a tight squeeze in apology and in comfort for himself.

"Lloyd-"

"Don't," Lloyd whispered, flinching when he felt something or someone hit the stone wall of the cave with a loud smack. "You were right. This needs to happen and there's nothing I can do."

The sounds finally faded away. In the silence was heavy breathing and wretched sobs which gave Lloyd excuse to turn and examine the damage. Emil's once pristine clothing was ripped and burned in several places and the skin that showed was bruised and bloodied, but t Emil's eyes were full of determination and anger. The grip on his blade was tight and unyielding.

As for Richter, the man looked worse for wear. And as he expected, Richter was more put together than his husband. His long coat and tie were the only items missing from his person. His glasses were broken on one side and blood trickled down his cheek and onto his neck.

Both of them looked resigned and tired.

Unfortunately, in Aqua's hand was Solum's core, glowing and unharmed from the battle. Lloyd had no time to draw his blade when Aqua disappeared in a burst of water.

"This battle is over." Richter sounded solemn and tired, but he had enough strength to hold up his blade and axe. "Thanks to you, the barrier surrounding Solum is destroyed and I got what I wanted."

"You may have won, but this _won't _be the last time you lay eyes on me, Abend," Emil snapped, ignoring the hurt look that flashed across Richter's green eyes. "I will stop you from opening that gate and bringing Aster back."

"You can try, but I'll doubt you'll succeed. Aqua!" Richter held up his hand and disappeared in a burst of water and light that left the group in a heavy silence.

Lloyd wanted to say something, _anything,_ but nothing would come out of his mouth. Nothing came to mind. But what he could do was step forward and take Emil in his arms, smiling sadly when his friend slumped and whimpered against his shoulder.

"We have to follow him," Raine spoke up. "Before it's too late."

"He has all the cores with the exception of Tenebrae," Kratos stated. "Seeing as we have no idea as to where Tenebrae is at the moment, the only thing we can do is re-group and head to the Ginnungagap after Emil has rested up."

"Right," Lloyd agreed, adjusted his weight to push Emil away from his shoulders and stare into his dull eyes. "Emil-"

"I'm fine." Emil's voice was nothing but a whisper in the hollow cave. "We can find an inn in town and rest. It'll be a long journey to the Ginnungagap."

"Emil-" Lloyd was cut off when Emil suddenly stepped away from him, stumbling on his feet for a moment before limping out of the altar room. As Lloyd put a foot forward to follow him, a glint of light caught his eye and he turned his head to see a ring on the ground. He bent down and quickly stuffed it in his pocket. He didn't need to guess who the ring belonged to.

* * *

"Come on," Lloyd spoke, his tone dull as an old blade. "Let's get out of here."

The Luin Inn was devoid of life with the exception of the receptionist and the old cat that had taken residency on top of the grandfather clock. They were greeted with a wary, but welcoming smile; however, the moment the old man's eyes laid on Emil, the smile disappeared and a worried frown took its place.

"Emil Castagnier?" the receptionist called out, taking in the former noble's wounded appearance. "What in Martel's name happened to you?"

"Monsters," Emil responded. "I had a little trouble on the road." Emil limped forward, wincing when the cloth rubbed against his bruised ankle. "Can we get three rooms for tonight, please?"

"Of course." The receptionist shook his head when Kratos tried to hand him a small fold of gald. "It's on the house, my lord. It looks like all of you had a tough tumble. Why, I had no idea the monster activity was getting so bad."

"Well," Emil sighed as he directed himself up the stairs, "things are changing, sir, and it's not exactly good."

"Wait, Emil." Lloyd raced toward the stairway and placed most of his friend's weight on his own. "C'mon, I'll help you get settled in."

"I don't need help," Emil protested, grunting when they reached the top stair and entered the first empty room on the right side of the hall. "Really, Lloyd-"

"No buts." Lloyd gingerly set his friend on the bed and proceeded to remove his boots. "Now-"

"Stop it." Emil's tone bordered on dangerous. "I said I don't need your help, Lloyd." Emil snatched his leg away and laid on the bed, turning his back to his friend.

"You need to stop being so stubborn." Lloyd climbed onto the bed and re-grabbed Emil's leg. "Now-"

"Get off me. Please."

"Let me help you. I just want you to be comfortable."

"I'm fine," Emil insisted, his tone softening with Lloyd's concern. "I just want to rest, okay? I'll clean up a little later."

"But you wouldn't have to if you cleaned up now." Lloyd tugged at Emil's leg again. "Come on, strip and jump in the shower and I'll rub some gel on your wounds and I promise I'll leave you alone."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

Lloyd respectfully turned away as Emil stripped and limped his way to the bathroom, but turning around when he heard the bathroom door shut and the shower start. When he deemed it safe enough, Lloyd's shoulders slumped in defeat and he allowed himself a heavy sigh of furstration. This was a complete disaster. How would he convince Emil that killing Richter wasn't going to make him feel better?

Instead, it would make him feel empty with loss and clueless as to what he should do next.

Lloyd dug into his pocket and brought out the small, gold ring and held it up, smiling when the setting sun reflected off the metal. He remembered when Emil would smile with pride at wearing the ring, but now it was a symbol of despair and anger. He knew Emil purposely dropped the ring when the battle started and had no intention of retrieving it.

So, he would keep it and return it if and when Emil wanted it again. But for now, he stood up and left the room to see how everyone was settling in. He stepped through the door, ignoring the broken sobs emitting from the bathroom.

He promised that he would leave Emil alone for the night in all manner of forms and that included grieving.


	34. Chapter 34

Valkyria: We're on the last stretch of this story. One more chapter and Flames of the Heart will be completed. Thanks for reviewing everyone.

Disclaimer: I claim no rights to the anime/game/manga Tales of Symphonia

Beta'd by: Jan Lee

* * *

_"In a fit of grief, anger, and despair, people turn their eyes to the sky and wish for the power to turn back the clock. To reverse their past mistakes, and hope for a better future, but once they face those decisions a second time, would they really make a different choice? Sometimes, people fail to realize that the decision they made is merely a different path that may lead to the same destination." - Lloyd Irving Aurion._

* * *

Chapter Thirty-Four: Otherworldly Gate - Part One

The room was bathed in the light of the sunset when Lloyd finally allowed himself to step in. Quietly, he shut the door and leaned against the wood, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, shuddering as a wave of exhaustion flowed over him. The day had been long and he was grateful to see the end of it. However, he was regretful that he didn't push himself to stay in Emil's room and comfort his friend, but he had promised to allow his friend some reprieve for the night.

"How is he?"

Lloyd opened his eyes at the question and met Kratos' gaze from the across the room. His fiance sat on the edge of the bed and pinned him with that familiar intimidating stare. Lloyd had long since gotten used to it and found himself amused by it, rather than frightened, these days.

"As well as he can be at the moment," Lloyd responded after a long pause of silence. "He may never recover from this and I...think that I can't help him recover from it. A friend can only do so much."

Kratos stared at him for a long moment, assessing his words, before replying. "You may not realize it and he may not see it, but you _are _helping him by being there for him and helping him with this journey. It is not easy to go against the person you love and more so to rid this world of the one you love."

Lloyd shook his head, the movement caused the room to spin, revealing how exhausted he was. He longed for the bed Kratos sat on, but they needed to talk about this situation.

"Is killing Richter the only solution we have? I don't think we've looked at this from all angles."

"Of course we haven't looked at all the possibilities, but I'm afraid that Emil is dead set on his decision. Despite the fact that the entire world is riding on our success, it will be ultimately Emil's decision whether or not to spare Richter's life."

"What would happen should we keep Richter alive?"

"Richter's reputation is ruined since the destruction of Flanoir and-" Kratos responded, and Lloyd pretended not to hear the hitch in his fiance's voice. "He will be punished for the crimes he has committed._**  
**_

Silent, Lloyd pushed himself off the floor and joined Kratos on the bed, laying his head on Kratos' strong shoulder. "I'm sorry," he breathed, "about Anna."

"It's not your fault." Kratos' tone was reassuring. "Never think that is ever your fault, Lloyd. If anything, it should be mine. I should have recognized-"

Lloyd stopped Kratos by leaning over and pressing his lips against Kratos, smiling when the action earned a grunt of surprise. He quickly pulled back and turned away when Kratos licked his lips. It was a pleasing sight and he had to restrain himself from not jumping Kratos again._**  
**_

"Let's just agree that it's no one's fault, okay?" Lloyd whispered, his cheeks a deep, endearing red that had Kratos wanting to kiss them to see if they tasted as enticing as Lloyd's mouth did. _**  
**_

"Agreed." Kratos smiled slowly. "I must say, however, that was an interesting way to get me to shut up about our little blame act we had going. Not that I mind, of course."

"Of course," Lloyd murmured hoarsely, his mind whirling in a panic, thinking what in the world made him reach over and kiss Kratos square on the lips. He decided to blame it on his impulsive nature and ignore the fact that his lips were still tingling and the urge for a repeat performance was growing in the pit of his stomach._**  
**_

"The Ginnungagap." Lloyd coughed to clear the air between them. "What is it, exactly?"

"The Ginnungagap is a gap between dimensions that can be accessed via the Otherworldly Gate," Kratos explained, deciding to play along with Lloyd's subject change. For once. "The Otherworldly Gate is located at the World Tree."

"Is that what Richter and Aster were looking for?"

"No, they were there merely to research the World Tree. It is unfortunate that Ratatosk lost his temper and decided to kill Aster." Kratos lips thinned and Lloyd knew he thought of the catalyst of this entire journey.

"Please don't tell me it takes some kind of key to open the gate?" Lloyd gave Kratos a pleading look and groaned when Kratos gave him a fond, but sympathetic look. "Do you have it? I'll kiss you if you have it."

Kratos' features turned into an amused glance as he rose from the bed and went toward his bags, where he pulled out a large, tan colored ring that could have easily served as an oversized bracelet.

Lloyd would have and should have been overjoyed at the sight of it, if he hadn't promised that he would kiss Kratos if he had the ring or key or whatever the hell it was.

"I'll save that kiss for a more opportune time," Kratos said. "This is the Sorcerer's Ring." Kratos waved it with a flourish and then tossed for Lloyd to catch. "It is what we need to enter the Otherworldly Gate and Ginnungagap." _**  
**_

"This thing is going to get us there?" Lloyd stared at in confusion. "It looks so ordinary."

"I believe that was the idea when it was designed," Kratos stated. "A person wouldn't think twice about it and would easily sell it to get it off their hands."

"And that's how you came upon it?" Lloyd turned the ring left and right, now seeing how plain it really looked. If anything, a wife or a girlfriend would be upset to receive such a gift.

"Actually, it belonged to my grandmother. She had a knack for spotting things and knew what it was. She wisely decided that it would be best if she kept within the family vault."

"I'm guessing she didn't have much love for the scientific community or the church." Lloyd could imagine researchers from Sybak and priests from the Church of Martel clamoring at the walls for such a thing. And he could imagine how angry they would be if they found that the Aurion family kept such an artifact for themselves.

"No, Grandmother wasn't much for authority." Kratos chuckled. "I think the both of you would have gotten along quite well."

"Yeah, I think we would," Lloyd murmured, saddened at the thought of never meeting any of Kratos' family members. He truly was the last surviving member of his family and because of Anna's death and his promise to Dirk, he would never be able to have a child of his own to carry on said line. Lloyd wondered what Kratos' child would be like? Would they have his hair, eyes, attitude, intelligence? It was interesting and sad to think about it.

"It's all right," Kratos spoke up as if he read Lloyd's thoughts, "I am at peace with it now."

"Peace?"

"With not having children," Kratos finished gently. "My hope died with Anna on that prospect, but now that I'm with you, I don't see why we couldn't adopt a little boy or girl one day."

"_Me_, a father?" Lloyd pointed to himself and blushed when Kratos gave him an exasperated glance. "I don't know about that, Kratos."

"You'll make an excellent father and what I said isn't set in stone. I was merely wondering out loud."

"Oh." Lloyd decided it was best to keep his mouth shut and laid back on the bed, sighing as the mattress molded to his back. He could hear Kratos moving about in the room, so he turned his head when he heard the quiet click as the window opened. A rush of cool air flowed over his body. It felt nice and all he wanted to do was close his eyes and go to _sleep. _

"I would suggest a bath, but it looks like you're too comfortable to move."

Lloyd grunted as Kratos removed his boots and socks and he found the strength to take off his jacket and gloves as his feet were attended to.

"It's nice having a valet," Lloyd murmured, shifting further into the bed and burying his face into the pillows, pausing only to lift his head for a soft thank you over Kratos' quiet laughter.

"It's nice having a quiet night." Kratos sat on the edge of the bed and placed a hand on the back of Lloyd's head. "It's going to be over soon, Lloyd."

Lloyd said nothing, merely turning his head to face the open window as Kratos continued speaking, his deep voice soothing and hiding the strain of his exhaustion.

"I know that it's been hard for you and Emil," Kratos continued, raking his hand through his fiance's thick locks. "However, I'm confident that both of you will be fine and you'll look back on this moment with sadness, but not regret. You're…_we're_…all doing the best we can at the moment and however much we want to change some of the decisions we made, we can't, we can't change the past. _**  
**_

"We can't change Richter's decision and we can't stop him from falling in love with Aster. The choices that he made are his own and the same is said of us. The moment we step into the Ginnungagap is the moment we can no longer have any doubts about ourselves or why we're there. Richter is not going to stop because we were once his friends."

Kratos stopped talking and laid beside Lloyd on the bed, pushing his body against Lloyd's smaller one and smiling, albeit, sadly when Lloyd tensed at the action. He shifted his head to Lloyd's shoulder and closed his eyes.

"I know you're angry with me," Kratos continued, his voice a touch lower, "and I want to apologize for my actions, but they're actions I don't regret. I understand if you want to wait a while before we get married."

"...you won't mind?" Lloyd asked softly.

"No, of course not, Lloyd."

"Kratos?" Lloyd kept his eyes to the open window, shivering when the cold air caressed his skin. "What's going to happen to Emil when this is over?"

Lloyd waited for the answer, but the longer the pause, the more worried he became. He opened his mouth to ask again, but Kratos answer came, the tone filled with sadness.

"I don't know." It was an answer that Lloyd hadn't expected. "He'll return to Palmacosta to his family to live out the remainder of his life in peace."

"Or he can stay with us," Lloyd tried. "I mean, if he was okay with it he could stay with us. Are you okay with it?"

"It wouldn't be a problem," Kratos said slowly. "Is that what you want, Lloyd? For Emil to stay with us?"

"It would be nice for him to stay with friends after this whole thing blows over, you know? I realize he has family that can help him cope, but could they really understand what he was going through? He lost his home and husband and best friend in one go."

"And you think we can understand it better than his parents can?"

"We were here to see it fail," Lloyd murmured. "I don't see how we can understand it any better after seeing that." _**  
**_

"He can stay if he wishes to,"

"Thank you, and Kratos?"

"Yes?"

"I..." Lloyd bit his lips and cursed lowly under his breath, why were three words so hard to say? "I want you to be careful tomorrow, okay?"

So much for saying it.

"I will do my best, and Lloyd?"

"Yes?"

"I love you too."

Lloyd pretended, for once, that Kratos didn't smile against his shoulder as his heart skipped a beat.

* * *

The next morning was quiet as the group prepared their things and departed Luin with slumped shoulders and empty hands. The road to the World Tree was quiet as each of them was lost in their own thoughts. Raine and Genis decided to share the occasional worried glance while Colette looked at each of her friends- -new and old- -with pinched lips and worried eyes that were dull from lack of sleep.

Lloyd turned his attention to Emil who looked better than anyone in the group. He still walked with a slight limp, but most of the wounds he sustained from the battle were gone or were little more than small bruises lining his arms until the arm warmers covered them. He looked determined as he walked with confidence, more confidence than any of them had at the moment.

"Are you all right?" Kratos asked, causing Lloyd to jump a mile high. "Lloyd?"

"I-I'm fine," Lloyd spluttered, feeling his cheeks warm as his mind flashed to last night. "I'm a little nervous about the upcoming battle."

"You don't need to be nervous. As long as we stick together, we'll have nothing to worry about." Kratos' voice lowered suddenly. "Or, are you still thinking about last night?"

"A little, but we can talk about it when this is over." Lloyd's lips thinned at the thought of talking about the rest of his life with Kratos. It was a scary thought, but one that he was internally excited about.

"Among other things," Kratos said vaguely. "We're here."

In terms of size, the World Tree was massive, its size causing Lloyd to strain his neck and raise a hand to block his eyes from the rays of the sun despite the tree's leaves giving them good shade. Even from here they could see the World Tree and he finally see why so many researchers clamored for a chance to see such a magnificent sight, but he couldn't help but be bitter at the fact that this World Tree, this place of legend was a catalyst to such pain. He was put out of his drowning thoughts when Kratos nudged him forward.

"Don't drag your feet, Lloyd." Kratos teased. "You're not that old." _**  
**_

"Oh, Kratos, you're humor keeps getting better with each passing day." Lloyd retorted sarcastically.

"As much as I would like to explore, we have to get to the Otherworldly Gate," Raine said, blushing when Kratos simply pointed to a small formation of rocks a few feet from her position. "That's it?"

"That's it," Kratos confirmed, gesturing the group toward the rocks while pulling out the Sorcerer's Ring. "I'm not sure if this ring will be enough power to transport us to-" Kratos turned sharply to his left when a cloud of black shadows appeared and thinned out to reveal Tenebrae's floating form.

"I'm not going to ask questions," Kratos began when Tenebrae opened his mouth, "nor do I need explanations as to where you have been. The only thing I need is your power to open this gate."

Tenebrae's blue eyes took the group in, lingering at Emil for a moment before returning to Kratos. "Are you prepared to enter here? The road to the Ginnungagap is long and arduous and only the brave enter and leave with everything in tact."

"We're ready," Emil replied. "Help Kratos open the gate."


	35. Chapter 35

Valkyria: We're here! The last chapter to Flames of the Heart. I appreciate all of you sticking with me! Thanks for reviewing everyone.

Disclaimer: I claim no rights to the anime/game/manga Tales of Symphonia

Beta'd by: Jan Lee

* * *

_"This journey was finally at an end. The pain, anger, and despair we've felt during these tumultuous times were going to be nothing but a distant memory. However, just because this journey was over didn't mean the road to our future was going to be any easier. After all, we still had our whole lives to look forward to. As for Emil, well, no one saw his ending coming, not even someone as wise and calculating as Kratos." - Lloyd Irving-Aurion_

* * *

Chapter Thirty-Five: Otherworldly Gate, Part 2

The Ginnungagap was more expansive than Lloyd predicted. Located underneath the World Tree, the roads twisted upwards and downwards, leading to places blocked by the World Tree's massive roots while others were held off by blue-colored barriers. Seeing such a place made Lloyd's stomach crawl and the thought of them travelling the deteriorating roads caused a wave of wariness to rush down his spine. He didn't like the feel of this place. The sooner they found Richter and Aqua the better off he would be.

"I can hardly see anything with this blue fog," Genis said. "What is this stuff?"

"Mana," Tenebrae replied. "It's leaking out of the entrance of Nilfhelm."

"So, that means that he's already started to open the door?" Emil asked. "But how is that possible? We have Tenebrae here with us and he needs _all_ Centurions to open that door."

"Unfortunately, remnants of my power still remain near the door to Nilfhelm along with the other Centurions," Tenebrae explained. "It is enough for Richter to start to open that door, but he will need another source to replace mine."

"Another source?" Lloyd's brows furrowed at the limited choices. "What about Ratatosk's power? Is it still there?"

"Lord Ratatosk's power lingers within the World Tree and will continue to do so until a new source replaces it, but it is not easy to replace mana." Tenebrae's eyes became mischievous. "If we're lucky then Richter can replace Ratatosk and my lord can roam the land as he pleases."

"Richter won't be replacing anyone but Aster," Emil muttered darkly. "He's caused these lands enough trouble."

When Tenebrae chuckled at his look of displeasure, Lloyd glared in the Centaurion's direction as hot anger flashed in the pit of his stomach. He remembered now why he didn't miss Tenebrae or his bad sense of humor.

"We better get moving," Raine said. "The longer we wait here the more time Richter has to open that door."

"How do we know where to go?" Colette asked, her eyes scanning the twisted wooden roads with apprehension. "What if we get lost? I don't want to get lost in this place."

"You needn't worry," Tenebrae soothed. "I shall lead the way to the door."

"Our own personal bloodhound." Lloyd's tease was in partial payback for Tenebrae's earlier comment. "How neat."

"Don't," Kratos warned as he saw Tenebrae open his mouth to shoot off a remark of his own. "We do not have the time to start an argument."

"Right," Lloyd agreed. "We don't have the time. _Right_, Tenebrae?"

"You are correct, Lloyd." Tenebrae returned the look. "Let us march ahead. We have quite a ways to go."

As far as Lloyd was concerned, the Ginnungagap was _mess. _A good number of the roads led to nowhere, while others led to entrances with barriers, while still others led to small caves with monsters. It didn't take long for Lloyd to realize that this place was slowly eroding thanks to Richter's desperation to open the door.

The leaking mana didn't make matters any easier for them. The air was stagnant and harder to breathe, therefore artes were harder to cast and defending against monsters that jumped at them from the sky and appeared underneath the rotting roads was difficult. Lloyd feared not only for his safety, but the others' as well. He saw how weary they had gotten the closer they advanced to the center and so commanded them to rest when the mana fog grew heavy to the point where he couldn't see his hand in front of his face.

"How much power did you leave behind?" Lloyd asked, trying to see Tenebrae through the fog. "The mana is growing heavier."

"I expected the mana cloud until we could no longer see," Tenebrae replied. "The door's only a little further ahead, but I suggest we rest for a while longer before departing."

Lloyd bit his bottom lip and looked to see his friends sitting down on the small, but reliable platform. It seemed so easy just to rest here for a while, but they couldn't. They no longer had the time.

"We need to go," Lloyd ordered grimly. "I'm sorry that you guys didn't get enough time to rest."

"What time we had was enough," Kratos reassured. "You don't need to sound so guilty."

Thankfully, the mana fog dissipated as they moved closer to Richter's location and Lloyd breathed a sigh of relief as their surroundings changed, but his relief was short lived when they crossed the black bridge and moved closer toward the door that held Nilfhelm. The smell of smoke rushed over him. He reached up to cover his nose and blinked as his eyes watered. He stopped as he reached the platform, wincing when two glyphs on the edge of it activated. Pillars of fire plumed into the air as if their presence had been sensed. If that wasn't a hint that Richter knew they had arrived, he didn't know what was.

"This looks worse than the last area." Emil blinked his eyes and waved a hand in a futile effort to clear the smoke. "Fire and brimstone."

"Indeed," Tenebrare murmured. "I sense my brethren up the stairs. No more waiting."

Lloyd nodded and then marched up the stairs and into the room where the door leading to Nilfhelm was in plain view. On it, the Centurion's crest had been activated. He stepped forward, but stopped when the sound of clapping hit his ears. Lloyd turned to his left. Richter sat on the small set of stairs, wearing a small grin that failed to reach eyes.

"Welcome," Richter said before any of them could get out a word. "I'm impressed you made it this far."

"Richter." Lloyd kept his tone even. "You need to stop what you're doing."

"No." Richter responded with such finality that Lloyd heard Emil's sharp intake of breath. "I will not stop."

"You don't realize what you're doing, Richter," Emil snarled. "You'll destroy this world if you open that door and for what? To revive Aster?"

"Stop-"

"No. I'm not going to _stop," _Emil cut in viciously. "I'm not going to stop saying his name! Aster, Aster, _Aster. _Aster Grants wouldn't want you to do this, Richter, and you know it."

"We don't know what he wants because he's dead." Richter growled the words. "We can't know what the dead want, but I intend on changing that."

"I will draw my blade if you do not stop," Kratos said as Richter rose from the stairs. "This will be your last and only warning, Richter."

"Of all people, I expected you to understand me the most, Kratos," Richter stated. "After Anna's death you wanted to give up everything that reminded you of her and I stopped you. I understood and was sympathetic toward you and you turn and treat me in such a manner?"

"I lost Anna, but the difference between you and me is that I kept her in my memory and my heart. I made no attempt to bring ruin to the world because she was taken from me. Truly Richter, do you think that Aster would want this?"

"No," Richter admitted, much to Lloyd's shock, "however, I am willing to pay that small price in order to bring him back where he belongs. With me."

"With you?" Emil mocked, drawing his blade. "You will be with him, but not here, not anywhere among the living."

"You will never forgive me for my atrocities, Emil," Richter took a step in their direction, flames slowly engulfing his body, "thus the reason why I will not stop my assault. I cannot turn back now. I _will not _turn back."

Lloyd swallowed the lump in his throat as Richter's appearance changed into that of a demon wearing nothing but a deformed version of his clothing and wielding a scythe made from flames. The horrid sight buckled his knees as he felt Richter's power from his position, but Lloyd straightened, grasped the hilts of his blades, and drew them out of his sheaths. His heart skipped a beat as he heard his friends draw their own weapons. He had wanted to avoid this battle, but he'd been a fool to think that he could. There would be no stopping it now. Someone was going to end up dead at the end, and he didn't like those odds, but what more could he do?

"Come." Richter swung his scythe, a burst of fire following in its wake. "Stop me if you can."

Lloyd took a step forward, only to be caught off guard momentarily as Emil rushed by and jumped in air, successfully landing a blow and knocking Richter back and closer to the door holding back Nilfhelm. Gathering his wits, Lloyd rushed forward and winced when his blade connected soundly with Richter's scythe, grunting when Richter pushed him back and launched a fire arte in his direction.

Lloyd quickly rolled out of the way and climbed to his feet, charging again, and side-stepping Richter's ice artes as they careened his way and hit the ground instead of their intended target.

He managed to land a few attacks of his own before stumbling back when the rumbling of thunder hit his ears and he was sent backward halfway across the platform, the searing pain of the thunder arte hitting him when he finally skidded to a halt.

"That looked like it hurt," Genis teased, bending down and placing a hand on his shoulder as a way of sending a healing spell over Lloyd's body, mending the injuries he obtained from the attack.

"It _did_, smarty pants," Lloyd retorted dryly, his muscles relaxing as the healing spell closed up his wounds and burns. "Thanks."

Lloyd began his assault again, adding to Colette's light artes and Kratos' fire artes, and Raine's and Genis' support artes. Many times, however, Emil powered Lloyd's attacks. Emil seemed to have grown in power as the battle progressed. It was as if he was giving it his absolute all to stop Richter and such a sight fueled Lloyd to continue pummeling Richter into the stone ground they stood upon.

"Very good," Richter praised, stumbling to his feet after Emil and Lloyd's current attack. "You've grown stronger, Emil."

"It's all thanks to you, Richter," Emil retorted sarcastically. "I couldn't have done it without you."

"You've grown cold as well." Richter's grip tightened on the scythe. "Tis a shame."

"It is," Emil agreed, rushing forward again and attacking Richter with a viciousness that took Lloyd's breath away.

Lloyd rushed in behind Kratos, sliding and swinging his blades at Richter's head, smiling darkly when Richter growled and brought his scythe down, then cursing when Lloyd jumped out of the way. His missed attack carved a small crater in the ground. Lloyd closed in again and brought his blades down to unleash his own arte, but cursed himself when Richter blocked it and retaliated with his own attack.

"Something's wrong," Colette murmured, leaning against his back with her chakrams hanging loosely in her hands. "It's like he's holding back."

"Holding back?" Lloyd found the very thought ludicrous. "If that's holding back then I'm an amateur."

"Look at him." Colette spoke softly. "Look at how he's only sending out attacks that are doing little damage. With the power he's collected and obtained, don't you think he could have easily killed us?"

"Yeah." Lloyd watched Richter with sharper eyes before turning to the door leading to Nilfhelm, gasping when he saw that door move to the left- -cracking open. He turned back to the battle and saw that as Richter unleashed artes, a small portion of the energy moved toward the door, inching it open further. This couldn't…this couldn't be _happening!_

"He's biding his fucking time," Lloyd snarled. "He's _playing _with us!"

"Lloyd-"

"_Stop him!" _Lloyd roared furiously. "Niflhelm is opening! _Stop him now!" _

He sped toward Richter and landed a hit to his stomach, interrupting the arte Richter was in the process of launching. He brought his sword down again and pushed Richter back, furious that he'd been duped. He set about landing another blow when Emil appeared from his right and pulled him away just as several pillars of light came in from behind, knocking Richter back. The scythe flew from his grip, skittered across the floor, and then fell off the platform.

Lloyd stared in shock as Kratos held his blade in a horizontal position. Everything glowed thanks to the light his wings provided. He turned to Emil, who gave him a sheepish look.

"No time for a warning," Emil explained as an apology, rising and making his way to Richter's still body. Lloyd stilled when Emil held up a hand to stop him.

"Is it over?" he heard Colette ask tentatively.

"It better be." Raine sounded _exhausted,_which briefly made him remember that she had been acting as their support along with Genis. "Kratos' attack should have finished him off."

"It did." Richter sounded weak and amused at Raine's analysis. "Caught me off guard."

"Richter," Lloyd called out, "you have to stop the door from opening-"

Lloyd stopped when he saw Emil approaching Richter with his blade still unsheathed. "Emil, what are you doing? You can't-"

"Close the gate," Emil commanded sternly. "Stop being a fool and close the gate before you kill us all."

Richter, silent, did as Emil bid and Lloyd breathed a sigh of relief as the door slid back to the right and closed firmly with a resounding bang. That relief, however, was short lived as Emil raised his blade and held it in that position.

"Kill me." Richter's throat worked to squeeze out the words. "It's what I deserve. I've done too much to live in this world any longer."

"No." Emil lowered his blade and dropped it on the ground. "I have a worse fate for you, Richter Abend." Emil bent down and cupped Richter's cheek, smiling sadly when Richter returned to his human form. "A fate worse than anyone could imagine."

"What is that?" Richter sounded curious and wary. Lloyd didn't blame him for he felt the same for Emil's sudden loss of drive to kill Richter.

"To live."

"What?"

"To live." Emil responded. "You will live out your remaining years without the one you love the most. I always knew that Aster would have a place in your heart and that I could never replace him, and to see you live without him for your remaining time here on this world is a fate worse than anyone could imagine. You will wander this world until your hair is gray and your bones are weary and then, only then, will you join Aster in the afterlife, should Martel will it, but until then, let it torment you that you cannot join him."

Lloyd stared in horrified shock as Emil quietly gathered his blade and sheathed it and stepped away from his ex-husband, his steps echoing loudly in the stunned silence.

"Where are you going?" Richter asked quietly. "Where will you go now?"

Emil stopped near the door and turned to face Richter with a small smile. "I'm going home where I belong, Richter, where I will always be loved."

Lloyd wanted to chase Emil, but his feet were unable to move. The words Emil said to Richter shocked him to his core. He did indeed give Richter a fate worse than death.

A life without the one he truly loved.

It was Emil's punishment for his broken heart, the despair he gave Emil throughout this entire journey. So much, that Lloyd was honest enough to admit that maybe death would have been a better choice.

"Richter," Kratos called out, "what is next for you? Where will _you _go?"

"I do not know, Kratos." Richter walked toward the exit, his strides slow and hollow. "I hope that we will never cross paths again."

"You have nothing to say to Emil?"

Richter stopped and without turning around, shook his head. "No, I have nothing to say except that I am sorry for the pain I caused him. I will take my punishment and wander this world until my time is done. In some way, I will atone for my mistakes and in time, I may be forgiven."

"I hope that you will," Lloyd whispered as he watched Richter leave them behind. "I hope that you will."

"So, what now?" Genis asked tentatively. "What about the door?"

"You will leave the gate to Nilfhelm to me." Tenebrae appeared in a cloud of smoke. "I shall correct the mistake that Richter has wrought."

"And the Centurions?" Kratos questioned. "What of them?"

"I shall have no problem returning them to their rightful resting places," Tenebrae responded. "You all best be on your way before the entrance closes and you will be stuck here. With me."

"Are you sure you're going to be okay, Tenebrae?" Lloyd asked. "You don't need any help?"

"None at all, Lloyd." Tenebrae chuckled. "I only wish you a safe journey home."

"But-"

"He's more than capable of handling it, Lloyd," Kratos said firmly. "Let us return home."

"Are you _sure?" _Lloyd asked, eliciting a collective groan from the group. "I'm just making sure he doesn't need help."

"Lloyd?"

"Yes?"

"Go. Home." Tenebrae disappeared in a puff of smoke before Lloyd could come up with a witty reply.

"Well, I guess we're going home."

A chorus of "_Finally__!" _rose into the air and surprisingly the loudest one was Kratos. Not all was well for Lloyd. After leaving Tenebrae to take care of Nilfhelm, Lloyd returned to the surface to see neither hide nor hair of Emil or Richter and it caused him into enter a panic that Kratos only could snap him out of. Unfortunately, during the journey back, Emil was nowhere to be found and apparently didn't want to be found due to the fact that his friend didn't return to Luin or Palmacosta.

He wanted to search, but he had a horrible feeling that Emil did indeed didn't want to be found and returned to Meltokio with Kratos to return to their lives. Internally, Lloyd was hoping for some letter from Emil, but nothing had come in the weeks since they came home._  
_

* * *

In laymen's terms, Meltokio was in chaos when they returned. After returning Raine, Genis, and Colette back to Iselia, Kratos and Lloyd sans Emil returned to Meltokio to see Yuan waiting for them with an expression that reminded Lloyd of that time Genis ate Raine's lemon pie. It should have been humorous, but Kratos quickly clamped a hand over his mouth as Yuan explained their situation.

Apparently, the Pope had been '_relieved'_of his position and the King of Meltokio and Tethe'alla appointed someone with more _ethical _standards. It was good news since the Angelus Project had been put to rest and so had Alice and Decus plans to take over. The Lualdi name was still intact, of course, but Marta Lualdi, Emil's old friend, had taken her cousin's place as head of the House of Lualdi and Duchess of the Four Grand Houses- -a position she was very smug about according to Yuan.

As for the Bryant family, Duke and Duchess Bryant welcomed a new child into their household, a baby boy named Alistair Bryant, heir to the Bryant family and the Lezareno Company.

"A child in the middle of all that chaos," Kratos murmured as he brought the wine glass to his lips. "I suppose something good came out of this."

"Indeed," Yuan agreed, glancing across the table at Lloyd. "I suppose you'll be staying for the duration won't you?"

"Of course I'm staying and marrying Kratos," Lloyd grumbled. "I'm not that easy to scare off."

"Shame." Yuan smirked at Lloyd's scowl. "Duchess Fujibayashi-Wilder is expecting, and Duke Wilder has announced it to the entire city." Yuan smiled in Kratos' direction. "I'm surprised that you gave him the Aionis."

"Zelos' heart was in the right place," Kratos replied. "I just wish he came to me instead of consorting with the likes of the Desian Faction."

"Nonetheless, Seles is recovering and will be joining their household in due time," Yuan set his paper down with a sigh, "and that concludes my report about this mess you left me to deal with, Kratos."

"I am thankful, my friend." Kratos smiled over the rim of his wine glass. "I trust you will be back in time for the wedding?"

"Of course. I can't miss this catastrophe." Yuan rose from his seat and gathered his papers and cloak. "I shall be on my way. Thank you for the dinner."

"Yuan-"

"I haven't found a trace of neither Richter nor Emil," Yuan responded preemptively. "It is as if they disappeared into thin air, but I'm sure that Emil will turn up for your wedding. He is not the type to miss out on all of his hard work."

"No," Lloyd murmured, "I suppose not."

"I'm worried about Emil's whereabouts as well," Kratos said, watching Yuan leave the dining room, "however, I am sure he will turn up soon."

"I hope so, Kratos."

Emil never left his mind and it showed in the decisions he made as Kratos' fiance and second head of the Aurion household. So much so that Kratos left half of the decisions about how the household was ran up to him while he set about fixing Meltokio.

"Come," Kratos commanded suddenly.

"Where are we going?"

"To bed. We do have a wedding tomorrow."

* * *

Altamira wasn't the most socially acceptableplace to have a wedding, but Lloyd wanted a place untouched by his journey and memories. Even now, he could imagine Emil's tolerant acceptance of Altamira and even imagining such a thought brought a smile to Lloyd's face.

Thanks to the trouble in Meltokio, only a scant one hundred and fifty guests made it to the wedding instead of the three-hundred originally planned. Nonetheless, Lloyd was happy with the number- -the less people, the less stress they would have to endure.

If that was the case, then _why _was he standing outside the door to the small wedding chapel with an apprehensive expression on his face and anxiety making his heartbeat running a mile a minute?

He was supposed to be walking down the aisle, but his feet wouldn't move. This was supposed to be his wedding day. It was _supposed _to be a good day and yet, here he was standing here like a damned fool while Kratos and Yuan waited at the altar.

He wanted someone here to be with him. Genis or Raine or Colette, but they were outside waiting on the altar beside Kratos and Yuan. He didn't have anyone who could-

"My _goodness," _a very familiarvoice chided, "what are you doing standing out here when you have a wedding to start?"

"E-Emil?" Lloyd whirled around to see his friend standing behind him wearing cream colored trousers and blazer with a red vest and white shirt underneath. It was simple outfit that fit well against his friend's skin tone and nothing like the immaculate clothing he was used to seeing Emil wear.

"In the flesh." Emil smiled weakly, his green eyes a touch brighter, but Lloyd didn't fail to see the shadows still lingering on his friend's face. "It's been a while."

"Where have you been?" Lloyd asked softly, rushing over to Emil and wrapping his arms around him. "I've been worried about you. Does anyone know you're here?"

"No," Emil whispered against Lloyd's shoulder. "They will soon when I walk you down the aisle."

"Are you here to stay? You're not going away again?"

"Yes, but that doesn't mean I won't come back." Emil guided him to the door and pressed a hand against it, ready to push it open. "I have a lot to think about and do, but I will always come back because you're my friend. I never got to thank for all that you did, Lloyd. I always regretted that, you know?"

"What are friends for?" Lloyd murmured, fighting back his tears. "You've helped me out so much and I wanted to return the favor."

"I know, which is why I came back to walk you down the aisle. We spent too much time on this wedding for me to miss it." Emil tugged on Lloyd's simple white coat and ruffled his hair. "You look very nice. I like it."

"Thanks." Lloyd responded, still in a daze. "Emil? What about Richter?"

"I don't know," Emil replied honestly, a sadness taking over his features. "Maybe we'll run into each other again or maybe we won't. I'll leave it to Fate to decide that."

"You don't miss him?"

"Of course I miss him." Emil looked hurt at his words. "I will always miss him, but it wasn't meant to be, not as much as I wanted it to be."

"Are you going to be okay?" Lloyd asked softly. "Really?"

"I'll be okay. Eventually. But for now, let's concentrate on getting you married, yeah?"

"Emil..."

"It's _okay_, Lloyd." Emil embraced him and patted his back. "I'm going to be okay, and one day, this will be put to rest. I promise. Well?" Emil opened door and smiled when the crowd burst into scandalized whispers at the sight of him. At the altar, Kratos' eyebrows shot up and small smile pulled at his lips. "Are you ready?"

Lloyd smiled at his friend and noticed how content he looked. It was a good look on him after seeing so much sadness and anger. Like Emil said, in time he would move past this and be happy again. One day.

"I'm ready."


End file.
